A New Life For Us
by clarydarcy
Summary: Tony's day gets a little twisted when he encounters a beat-up little girl in suburban Surrey. As for Georgiana, her life is about to get a whole lot better after she meets a man with a glowing heart. Both have gone through difficult times but together they will find out what it means to be family. I AM DESPERATE FOR A NEW BETA
1. Chapter 1

**Okay this story is going through another edit so all the chapters will be changing slightly. Thanks to my new beta TheLostPevensie, who has helped me an incredible amount in making this a better story. Without further adieu.**

 **Summary: Tony's day gets a little twisted when he encounters a beat-up little girl in suburban Surrey. As for Georgiana, her life is about to get a whole lot better after she meets a man with a glowing heart. Both have gone through difficult times but together they will find out what it means to be family.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the Avengers, or any of it's respective characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Finding a New Part of My Glowing Heart**

So far, Tony was having a pretty good day. Maybe not his ideal day, but after what happened in Afghanistan and Yinsen's words still in the back of Tony's head, a day filled with board meetings and negotiation deals wasn't really that bad. Tony still wasn't attentive at the meetings nor did he like doing all the stupid paperwork and attending all the formality parties, however he was present and he was putting in effort. Granted, he wasn't trying very hard with the CEO-ing but he was trying! And yes, he still had his cocky personality but that was Tony, you couldn't change that. He'd shut down the entire weapons department, started working in clean energy with the arc reactor paving the road. What more can you ask for? Tony and Pepper had steadily been getting closer since Tony came back from Afghanistan and after the events of the debacle with Obadiah. She had finally consented to being his girlfriend, officially, 4 months ago.

The times Tony was away from Pepper he started to feel that loneliness again. The loneliness he realized had always plagued him. He just hadn't realize it until Yinsen basically spelled it out for him back in that awful cave. Being an only (genius) child, with an absentee-workaholic father, and constantly at boarding schools, his world was indeed lonely. Tony had everything he could ever want from life in the material sense, but emotionally he had nothing but Pepper and Rhodey. For those two, Tony would always be eternally grateful (not that he would ever actually admit that to Rhodey). Regardless, he still felt that empty void in his half mechanical heart that was haunted by feelings of neglect, abandonment, and betrayal. As he drove around the suburban area of Little Whinging, Surrey, little did Tony know that the part that would complete the rest of his heart was less than 5 miles away, at #4 Privet Drive.

* * *

Georgiana was not having a good day. Sadly, the last 5 years of her life had followed in pretty much the same succession. She had woken up this morning with the familiar screeching of Aunt Petunia at her cupboard door, and with a list of demands and chores that must be completed during the day. Funny; what with how many times she is explained the rules of the house (that only apply to her and never that whale of cousin of hers, Dudley), one would think she knew them all after 5 hellish years. But nooo they insist on telling her every. Single. Day.

"Move it, girl! I haven't got all day! I have to take Dudders out to get that new bike and television set he wanted. I want the breakfast on the table in 5 minutes, and make some extra bacon for your Uncle. If you don't you will find that you will have no meals for the rest of the day! Got it? Good." Aunt Petunia really didn't wait for Georgiana's answer before stalking away from the door of the cupboard.

Georgiana for her part did as she was told. She found that defiance in this house wasn't much appreciated. She stumbled over her pants and re-adjusted her shirt, both of which were quite a few sizes too big (and Dudley's). She put the extra bacon in the pan and seared it. For all of this she had to stand on a step stool, Aunt Petunia was just kind enough to lend it to her… as long as she didn't get any scuff marks on it. Georgiana went through the rest of the breakfast routine fairly quickly. Serving the family, while they sat at the table. For Petunia, she put a standard amount of scrambled eggs, a few pieces of bacon, and two pieces of toast. For Dudley she just doubled that of what Aunt Petunia had, and for Vernon triple. Not wanting to spend anymore time than needed in the "freak's" presence all three Dursleys began to make their way out the door. The act itself was becoming more difficult as Dudley and Uncle Vernon continued to steadily incline horizontally.

"Now, listen here, girl." Uncle Vernon began when he gobbled down the last of the bacon. " I do not want any funny business, whatsoever. I want that list of chores done by the time we return! If it is not then you will deal with the consequences! We will be back in four hours. Remember, no funny business!" Uncle Vernon finished out his lecture with a piercing glare at Georgiana and stalked out the door with Petunia and Dudley in tow.

Georgiana stared at the closed door after the Dursleys had left for a good 5 minutes. She gave a resounding sigh and trekked back deeper into the house to begin her chores. After about an hour and half almost all her chores done. Georgiana found herself leaning against her cupboard door. She opened the door and sat on her lumpy bed. If you could even call it a bed. She looked around the small space; it consisted of a few spiders, a couple of Dudley's discarded action figures, and a lot of dust bunnies. The only thing that really distinguished the dismal cupboard as hers was her full name inscribed on the inside of the door. _Georgiana Lily Potter._ That was her only link to her parents bar the lightening bolt scar from the incident that killed her parents but not her. That scar never faded, forever remaining, hidden behind her bangs. The only reason she knows her actual name because Aunt Petunia slipped a year before and said her name, and because it was on her introductory papers in the first year of primary school. She worked her hardest at spelling so she could spell and remember her overly complicated name. Georgiana ran her small hand over the engraving. She remembered when her Aunt and Uncle had found out about the carving the wall they went stark, raving mad. Aunt Petunia screeched at the top of her lungs and Uncle Vernon grabbed a hold of her arms and shook her quite violently, shouting in her face. Dudley at that point would throw in an unintelligent insult and hit her with his pudgy hands. That night Georgiana had cried and cried, and wished that anyone, absolutely anyone, would take her from that wretched place.

Recalling that memory was never fun for Georgiana. She got up and out of the cupboard and closed it behind her. Still feeling uneasy Georgiana looked up at the clock and realized she still had 2 ½ hours before the Dursleys would return. She unlocked the front door, swinging it open and grabbed the spare key that was under the welcome mat. Closing the door behind her and locking it, she tucked the key in the waistband of her pants and started walking in the direction of the park. Since Dudley and his pack of dunderheads wouldn't be there, the park should be fairly enjoyable. Georgiana made her way to the swings, unaware that her luck was about to change for the better.

Ever since last year, when she found extra time on her hands; when the Dursleys ventured out, Georgiana had taken to going out herself. She sometimes would just sit outside in front of the house or take a walk. Sometimes when she was really having a bad day or felt super adventurous she would go to the little old park, not far from the house. But, she never stayed long, always going back to the house before the Dursleys could even think she would go out. Today was one of those adventurous days. She was not surprised to find the park empty, she liked it that way best in fact. No one there, meant no one to bully or pick on her.

Out of all things to do in the park Georgiana would always go to the swings no matter what. It was an odd inclination of hers but, she was normally drawn to the swings more than the play structure. While she was gaining little height on the swings a most unusual thing happened.

* * *

Tony Stark was becoming increasingly annoyed with his AI assistant J.A.R.V.I.S.

"J.A.R.V.I.S. I asked for a short cut to Heathrow, not a tour through freaking suburban Surrey," Tony's patience level was dropping fast as he drove around in his Rolls Royce listening to J.A.R.V.I.S giving useless directions.

"You said you would like a scenic route, Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. responded in his British-electronic accent (which quite fitting the given location).

"This, is not what I meant," Tony muttered in anger and frustration. He abruptly turned at a curb and put the car in park near a completely vacant park. It wasn't just vacant it was barren, bar a couple of play structures, but the setting slightly bothered Tony. No park in L.A. or in New York for that matter was ever vacant, especially not so early in the afternoon. It reminded him of the barren village in the desert, which just did not sit well with him. Noticing the nearly empty gas tank he got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Walking into the park and taking a seat on the play structure, not caring in the slightest what happened to his custom tailored suit or the fact the park was giving him an off-putting feeling. He pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hey, Pepper."

"Tony! Where are you? You are supposed to be in London right now! The Hammer presentation, ringing any bells?" Pepper's voice was urgent yet pleasant. _How does she manage to do that? Yell at me, yet sounding amazing doing it._

"Pepper, that idiot hasn't presented or created any product that we haven't already made a decade ago or have already scrapped. It's not like I intentionally did this. I got lost with J.A.R.V.I.S.'s horrible directions and you know driving on the wrong side of the road completely throws me off."

"Well, Tony… You were supposed to be here...where are you anyway?" Suddenly taking a shift to the inquisitive.

"Somewhere in Surrey…" replies Tony frustratedly.

"Oh, good you aren't too far away," said Pepper, sounding cheerier.

"Well, I actually was on my way, to Heathrow. Uh, funny you should say that, actually because I just realized I am… basically out of gas," Tony braced himself for the explosion.

"TONY! You can't keep skipping these meetings…" Pepper was building steam at this point.

"But that was kind of the purpose of you being CEO," Tony asserted.

"Well, why don't you come instead, and I could quit…" Tony could hear Pepper's mood deteriorating.

"Pep, I was kidding," he said quickly. "I'm sorry I'm just not feeling it today. I'm over the travelling I just want to go home."

"And you were just going to just leave me here without so much as a memo." Pepper's voice softened, sensing Tony's vulnerability at the moment.

"Of course not," said Tony indignantly, recovering quickly. "I was just going to have Happy pick you up after the meeting you wanted to go to so badly, and bring you to the jet."

"Right, okay. I have no energy to leave anywhere right now, so let's just leave tomorrow. Okay, Tony?... Tony. Tony?" But there was no answer.

It was then a figure on the swing set had caught his eye. _I thought this place was deserted._ Upon inspection, Tony deduced that it was a little girl no more than 4 or 5, in huge clothes, and shoes that looked like they were about to fall apart. She had mid-length coppery, dark auburn hair and a small body. She was pretty soundless, swinging on the swings, with her head ducked down, and her hair swishing about around her. _Okay, this is seriously not normal. Where are this girl's parents? Did she run away? If she comes from this neighborhood, why does she look like a street kid? Maybe I should ask her. She maybe just some lost, helpless kid._ Tony's curiosity was piqued as his thoughts ran a mile a minute.

"Yeah, sorry," he said into his phone, suddenly registering Pepper calling his name. "Yeah, tomorrow- sounds good. Look I gotta go I'll meet you at the hotel. Bye!" Tony turned the phone off and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket. He started to stride towards the little girl.

* * *

A silver sports car drove right up in front of the park. A man climbed out and shut the door behind him. He strode with towards the play structure in a kind of strut, taking a seat upon it. Pulling out a phone and started a conversation with someone.

While the man was on the phone talking with the person on the other line, Georgiana was silently observing him from her place on the swing.

"...It's not like I intentionally did this…" He was trying in vain to explain to the person on the other side of the conversation.

Georgiana's thoughts were in a whirlwind of observation. _He looks fancy, really fancy. He looks fancier than the really rich people in 7 Privet Drive Aunt Petunia keeps talking about. If he's fancy and rich, what's he doing here?_ Georgiana felt bad listening in on his conversation, she knew it was wrong but her curiosity got the better of her.

The illustrious man's conversation stopped abruptly. His gaze suddenly riveted on little Georgiana. He stowed away his phone back in his pocket. Realizing this Georgiana quickly ducked her head down and continued on as if she hadn't even seen the man about to look in her direction. What she didn't anticipate was the man walking over to her.

 _Oh good Lord! Why is he coming here? What does he want with me? Maybe I should run! No, wait that he would just catch me like Dudley and his friends._

* * *

Upon seeing Tony, the little girl dragged her feet against the dirt to stop her swinging, and immediately stood up with her hands still firmly grasped around the chains of the swing. She snapped her head up to look at Tony, and Tony had to admit that his stance faltered a bit as the girl pierced him with the most intense hazel eyes he had ever seen. She was utterly silent and still, hands fisted at her sides and face blank, but as she stood facing him, looking for all the world like something out of his Robotics Division, Tony could see something in her shuttered hazel eyes. With a shock he realized that they reminded him of his own- not in color, although there was a surprising similarity there too. The expression in them, hidden though it was, was eerily like the haunted look he had seen every time he looked in a mirror for the first few months after his rescue from Afghanistan. That a child this young, no older than six for sure, was even capable of understanding such a deep pain, much less feeling it herself, told him more than any of her other strange behavior that something had to be horribly wrong. Tony regained his composure and found his voice and inserted a nonchalant tone into it.

"Hey, kid. What are doing here all by yourself," He felt like a complete jerk talking to her like this but Tony wasn't the mushy-gushy type so this would have to do. The girl continued to look at him with a glint of defiance in her eyes. _God, I swear those eyes are penetrating my arc reactor!_

"Nothing, I was just swinging on the swing, Sir. Did I do something wrong?" She replied in a British accent, her voice was clear, serene, and even. Tony was surprised a girl so young, had that kind of composure and demeanor most adults don't have.

"No, not really. It's just you look really young, and kids your age usually have their parent's around when they go to the park or anywhere else really. Something bad could happen to you out here. Where are your parents, kid?"

"I don't have parents. Bad stuff already happens to me. And don't call me kid." She said this all very bluntly and her "Bad stuff" comment alarmed Tony and started to break his rock solid heart. As a child, Tony would make up sad stories to gain his parents' attention but the little girl in front of him, he could tell she wasn't lying. She looked very young at the least 4 at the max 6. He wanted to ask her all sorts of questions, about her parents, what happened to her, Tony actually found himself acutely concerned about her. _Ugh, I'm going soft!_ As to not unnerve her he continued on with some harmless questions. _Maybe she'll slip up and say something._

"How old are you, ki- sorry what's your name, I didn't catch it?" This time he asked her in a softer tone and sat on the swing next to her.

"My teacher says six. And I didn't give you my name." _Okay, red flag number two. That's so weird. Don't kids usually brag about their age. And aren't their parents, guardians, whatever supposed to tell them. Girl's got cheek though._

"Why are you asking me all these questions, Sir?" Tony was surprised she asked him a question in return. It was quite apt and reasonable question. He probably would have asked the same question had their roles been reversed. But his overactive, analytical brain came up with an answer. _For starters, you look like a homeless kid, your parents are dead, you didn't know your own age till your teacher told you, and I have a bad feeling that's only the beginning of it._ Actually being tactful for once, he didn't mention any of this aloud. He must have looked like an idiot not speaking and just staring. But before he could really respond she asked another question

"Um, sir, why is your heart glowing?"

Tony realized he had been silent for a little more than a minute. Having been going through his thoughts, rather than replying with witty comments as he would ordinarily have done with any other person. It's not like he hasn't been asked this question and answered it a million times before. For God's sake, he was a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

 _Speaking of why doesn't this girl already know me. She should be fangirling right about now._ Finally composing cohesive thoughts again he answered her question… the second one at least. The first one he would have to think about a bit more.

"This," Tony tapped his arc reactor. "Is what is keeping me alive. I got into a bit of an accident and this thing is keeping the bad pieces of it, literally, from getting to my heart. Oh, and it powers the coolest super suit ever." The girl's eyes widened steadily as he spoke. By the end of his explanation her eyebrows had reached an exponential height, disappearing underneath the auburn fringe covering her forehead. Now, that he looked a bit closer at the fringe he noticed a faint scar hidden behind it. The part of this revelation that confounded him the most was that the scar was in an almost perfect shape of a lightning bolt. Alarms started going off in Tony's mind. Red flag NUMBER 3! _Why is this little girl hurt. Who did this to her. No one gets that kind of scar by accident or falling over. I should know I have enough injuries to last a lifetime._ Before he could bring up the topic of her scar her expression grew grave, worried, and anxious.

"Oh my God! Sir, do you know what time it is?" Her voice was brimming with anxiousness and a certain urgency. Tony checked his watch.

"It's nearly one o'clock, but…." Tony never got to finish his thought.

"Oh, Lord. I got to get home before they get back." She broke into a mad dash towards #4.

Tony was absolutely bewildered. Questions of all sorts were raging inside his head, as he watched the girl run faster than he thought was possible. Jumping on unfamiliar instinct, Tony followed her. Tony had no idea who she was, where she was from, or anything really much about her but, in that moment all reason was out the window and Tony followed the girl with the intense hazel eyes, auburn hair, and lightening bolt scar. One last thought coursed through him as he ran, _What the hell?!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, viewing, following, fav-ing, ets. It means a lot to me. Big thanks to my beta TheLostPevensie. So, please review. Thanks a bunches everyone. Here is chapter 2, hope you enjoy!**

 **Warning: mild abuse contained in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Georgiana's POV**

 _How could I be so stupid!_ Georgiana wasted absolutely no time in sprinting to the house. _If the Dursleys catch me outside the house, I'm done for._ Georgiana huffed and puffed all the way to the front door of the house. She jumped over the first step and fished the spare key out of the waistband of her pants. She fumbled a bit with the key, but finally stuffed it in the lock and slipped through the door. One thing she sadly failed to see on her rushed run was the car in the driveway. As soon as she was inside, she quickly turned around, slammed the door, and sank against the door with her eyes shut, panting out laboured breaths.

"Egh-hem." Vernon's gruff voice sounded more like a troll's. He was standing right in front of Georgiana. _Oh, shoot._ "Where. Have. You. Been?" He was now at the point of seething. He lumbered toward Georgiana and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, then dragged her over to her cupboard and slammed her front-wise against the wall beside it. Aunt Petunia and Dudley popped out of the kitchen and had become spectators less than 10 feet away.

Aunt Petunia made her way beside Vernon and took a hold of Georgiana's arm with one bony hand. With the other she grabbed Georgiana's face, angling it towards her in a vice-like grip.

"You knew the rules!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice sent chills down her spine; more out of the unpleasantness of the sound than out of fear. "Now you will pay the price. We took you in, we put clothes on your back! And this is how you thank us, you insolent little freak? You can't just flaunt your freakishness outside, nor in this home!" Her last word rang in Georgiana's ears. Aunt Petunia jerked her a bit and let her go, leaving, no doubt, a few scars and bruises. Uncle Vernon tightened his hold on Georgiana and harshly slammed her against the wall. The door to her cupboard was centimeters away from her face.

"Do you know what I am going to do to you?" Uncle Vernon said menacingly. His growling voice rang loudly in her ear. "I am going to lock you in this cupboard for a month, with only one meal a day! And when you get out you won't be going to school! You'll be doing double the chores, double the cleaning, DOUBLE EVERYTHING!" With every new punishment he slammed her against the wall as if each hit emphasized the point.

Tears slowly started to stream down Georgiana's face; she sucked in her breath and blinked her eyes a few times to stop them from escaping. Her efforts were in vain though— Dudley had already seen.

"Oh, look," he started to mock. "The freak is crying! It's so boring when all she does is whinge, whinge, whinge." He looked at Petunia. "Mummy, it's so boring! I want some sweeties!" But before Dudley's attention could be completely diverted, suddenly there came a huge—

BOOM!

The front door flew open and crashed against the adjacent wall. And lo and behold, the figure darkening the door was none other than...

 _What the…. What is he doing here?!_ The look of bewilderment on Georgiana's face was definitely candid camera worthy, however she had nothing on the looks currently gracing her relatives' faces. Dudley had backed up a bit from her and gawked unabashedly at the stranger. Aunt Petunia looked absolutely, completely aghast. Her mouth was hanging open, with her lips quivering as if she were about to say something. Uncle Vernon's face had just turned an unattractive shade of purple.

"I would let her go right now if I were you."

* * *

 _God, this girl runs fast!_ Tony was by no means unfit or out of shape. He was Iron Man, damn it! He trailed a good distance behind her as to not startle her when she finally reached her destination. I wonder if she's going home or somewhere else… he thought idly. The answer to that question became quite evident when she went up to the door of #4 Privet Drive. Georgiana seemed to fumble with the key she was trying to stuff into the lock. She finally got the door open, slipped in, and slammed it shut behind her. Must be a latchkey kid, he concluded.

Tony quickly realized that he wasn't going to be able to determine if the girl was alright or not if he was all the way across the street, where he couldn't see or hear anything. He started to make his way across the street and stopped right in front of the house.

 _What the f*** am I doing here?_ He thought bewilderedly. _The girl's fine, she's home. She's ok. She's probably safe. She-_

SLAM! " DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TO YOU!" SLAM!

 _She needs me._

A man, woman, and …..child, a little boy? They were all taking turns yelling and Tony could only assume it was at Georgiana. He wasted no more time, he raced up to the door and attempted to open it.

 _Shit! Locked. Well,_ he thought with a trace of his usual dry humor, I'm still Iron Man without the suit. With that positive note in his head he busted the door open with his foot. One good kick to the door sent it flying. They really need to upgrade their security system, he thought as he stepped around the remains of the door. The sight that greeted him shocked him out of his extraneous thoughts and sent rage coursing through his veins.

He found the girl all right but she was not fine. Georgiana was being held against the wall by a meaty, obese whale of a man. Tears in her eyes, a few scratches on her face. A few feet away was a very horsey looking woman who'd gone fish-level slack jawed at the sight of him, her lips moving but no sound coming out. And, right next to her was a seriously overweight kid that was just plainly gaping at Tony.

"I would let her go right now if I were you." He bit out as calmly as possible in that moment. Unfortunately, whale-man decided to speak.

"Sir, you are breaking and entering-"

"And I've already called the police, so let's stop stating the obvious." That shut the whale up. True, Tony had made that tidbit of information up, but they didn't need to know that. Unfortunately, the horse didn't have the good sense to stay silent.

"Who are you to do that? We have done nothing wrong!" She cried indignantly.

"Oh of course, because verbally and physically abusing a child is so encouraged!" Tony sniped back, not bothering to hold back the sarcasm that was just leaking into his voice.

" _Abuse_?! We were teaching her a lesson. One that she never seems to grasp. She's a freak! Her father and her mother, the pair of them as well. It's what got them blown up and us landed with her!" She had a bitter tone in her voice but it didn't faze Tony. He was already seeing red. Before he could respond to that comment, police sirens were sounding from the street. _I didn't actually call the police, what they hell are they doing here?_ He wondered. _Maybe one of the neighbors called. Whatever, better for me._ At the sound of the sirens, Vernon finally let go and started frantically looking around for a quick escape.

"Don't bother. Even if you do make a plausible case against this, nobody is going to fight against my word on it." Tony was feeling giddy at the thought of these people behind bars. Vernon though wasn't ready to give up.

"Oh really, we are perfectly respectable people— we've have never had so much as a speck on our record. Who are you to say that? What are you, the bloody Queen?" He guffawed at his own little joke, forgetting momentarily the hopelessness of his situation.

"The Queen? No. Very sweet woman though. Actually, I'm Tony Stark." He smirked, but it wasn't as playful as usual. "You may have heard of me. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist…" he paused, "superhero. Fun thing to put on a resume. Not that I need one since I'm independently wealthy beyond your wildest dreams." He pointedly flicked his eyes over Vernon's wrinkled work suit. "And, oh," he said, as if the thought had just occurred to him, "a superhero that is currently ready to avenge Georgiana by putting a world of hurt on you. And that is why you and your wife won't being seeing the light of day for a very long time, because I won't let that happen. Not on my watch."

The Dursleys couldn't quite believe it. Before the revelation could sink in the bobbies had burst through the door hanging on its hinges, read the pair their rights, handcuffed them, and escorted them to the back seats of the car. Dudley was inserted into another car.

Georgiana's timid voice broke through the sudden silence..

"So, that's who you are. Tony Stark, the man who flies around in that metal suit."

"Yup, that would be me, little missy. Now this isn't fair. You know my name, but I don't know yours." Tony thought this approach might lessen the tension of the situation.

"Georgiana," she whispered. Tears were glistening in her eyes. But she kept her voice even when she said, "Tell me Mr. Stark, and don't lie, please. What is going to happen to me now?"

Tony's heart had officially melted at the question that no child should have to ask, but that Georgiana asked with such steadfastness. It was also then, as he looked at her, that his heart found its last missing piece.

* * *

 **A/N: Pleases review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you everyone, so much, for your reviews!. It's inspiring me to keep writing and updating so quickly! So, keep it up, please! Here is Chapter 4, as always hope you enjoy! Thanks a bunches, and please review. Thank to my awesome beta, TheLostPevensie**

* * *

Georgiana watched as the bobbies escorted Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia out of the house, their hands cuffed behind their backs. The neighbors had lined up outside their houses to see what all the commotion outside was. Mrs. #9 and Mrs. #13 were already talking to each other getting ahead on the gossip that would supply Little Whinging for the rest of the year. Aunt Petunia would have been the center of that conversation had it not been her that was getting arrested _._ The bobbies finally put Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon in the back of the car and sped off. Another woman came and took Dudley away. She was truly all alone, Georgiana realized more than she ever was before.

Of course, Georgiana was ecstatic at the fact the Dursleys were gone and out of her life but at the same time, they were her family… her only family. In some twisted way she thought she might miss them, purely for the reason she had lost the only remaining part of her family. She was still sitting in the same spot that Uncle Vernon had her pinned against the wall; she was too mentally and physically exhausted to really go anywhere. She hadn't realized the man from the park- _No, Mr. Stark-_ was still there in the room with her. _I thought he'd've gone by now. Why is he still here?._ The silence tension was becoming too much for her, and she decided to chance saying something.

"So, that's who you are," she deduced. "Tony Stark, the man that flies around in that metal suit." _Stupid,_ she thought. _He knows who is without me telling him._ But Mr. Stark didn't seem offended or irritated.

"Yup, that would be me, little missy." A very easy smirk graced his features. It seemed at home there, like it was the default expression of his face. "Now this isn't fair, he continued jokingly. "You know my name, but I don't know yours." Georgiana couldn't help but feel a little better hearing Mr. Stark's playful tone. It really put her at ease and made her feel like he actually cared about her. _Which would be a first,_ she thought pessimistically.

"Georgiana." She replied to his question. But even as she answered, she was remembering how Dudley had been put into that car. The thought sent her into a bit of a panic, and trying her hardest not to just break down in a puddle of tears on the spot, she asked," Please tell me, Mr. Stark, and don't lie to me. What is going to happen to me now?"

He seemed like he was about to say something after a few floundering seconds, but he was saved the pain of answering the question when a man in a bobbie uniform and a woman in a business suit came up to them. The man started questioning Mr. Stark about what he had seen; the man didn't seem too pleased to be answering any questions, although she didn't know why. As for the woman, despite the torturous looking heels and skirt the woman was wearing she made her way over to Georgiana and sat right next her on the floor. She gave her a small, sympathetic smile.

"Hello, darling," she said quietly. "My name is Sophia, I'm going to be your caseworker." She smiled at Georgiana. "Since you don't have anyone to take care of you," she explained, "I'm going to find you a new home. But," but she emphasized, "you don't have to worry, I won't rest until I find you the most perfect home for you."

 _S'pose that answers my question._

* * *

 _Seriously, could this process be anymore repetitive?_ Tony sighed to himself.

"Mr. Stark," the policeman droned on, "did the victim seem oppressed or was she at ease or-?" But he was destined not to finish his statement.

"I," Tony cut across him, finally having reached his last nerve, "have answered all your reasonable and necessary questions. These questions, that you are now asking me for what I'm pretty sure is at least the third time, are absolutely idiotic and redundant, so I don't see any reason to talk to you anymore. Goodbye." He sidestepped the officer and made his way back to where he last left Georgiana. He had no idea why but, he couldn't let that girl go. The fact that she was now alone now, Tony wanted to comfort and protect her even more. _God, I've gone soft as a pillow pet!_

When he was in short distance of Georgiana, he came to find that a woman, most likely a social worker, was sitting next to her and talking.

"...going to need you to answer a few questions for the police officer. After that we will see about setting you up in a group home as there isn't, at this moment, an approved foster family you can stay with," _Yes, there is,_ thought Tony, _Me!_ Then he stopped his thoughts in his tracks. _Where did that come from? I don't have those paternal instinct things. Or at least I thought I didn't_ … He tuned back into the conversation as the woman said cheerfully,"But, you don't have to worry, I won't rest until I find you the perfect home with the most perfect parents for you!" _Like hell!_ he mentally shouted.

"Alright, how long am I going to be in that group place?" asked Georgiana. The question plus her innocent voice was making Tony's heart ache. _Seriously, what is wrong with me?_

"Just until we can find you some foster parents or a permanent home with…" What she was about to say Tony nor anyone else would ever know because at that instant his newly discovered paternal instincts decided they'd had enough. _That's it._

"With me" he interrupted blithely. Both Georgiana and the caseworker's heads had quickly snapped in his direction, and their eyes riveted on Tony with pure shock. The woman recovered from her shock fairly quickly. _Still don't know her name._ TOny contemplated briefly, _Eh, whatever, doesn't matter anyway,_ he concluded.

"Um, Mr. Stark, you aren't authorized to do that," she began. _Pfft. Does she not who I am?_ Tony scoffed to himself. _Genius, playboy, etc., etc…._

"Actually, Ms-" he began, making it clear he was waiting for her name.

"Sophia" the caseworker supplied.

"Ms. Sonia," he continued without pause. She attempted to correct him but he kept on going. "Pepper and I have had our fostering and adoption licenses for over 3 months now. I mean what a coincidence, right? But all the same we have them." He wasn't sure why he was being so aggressive, but for some reason really didn't like this chick _. Sure, she's nice and all… probably would've gone out with her back in the playboy days, he mused. But,_ he thought, _probably he didn't like her because she would be the one to take Georgiana away. What a strange thought._ The woman, meanwhile, looked thoroughly offended.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Stark, surely it's only valid-" Again Tony cut her off. He had made a bad habit of it. Today particularly.

"It's international."

"Excuse me," Georgiana had spoken and left Tony a bit taken aback at the confidence and authority in her voice. _I guess at this point I shouldn't be surprised._ He quickly glanced at the woman. _It seems Sasha was taken aback with our little firecracker too._ Georgiana continued on, "It's me you lot are talking about, shouldn't you ask me where I want to go." _Yes. Yes. YES!_ Tony mentally shouted.

"Well, yeah" "Of course, dear." Tony was peeved to realize he had spoken at the same time as Sue. He sent a glare in her direction and received one in return.

"Well, I know it's too late right now to immediately put me in a new home, said Georgiana, "so I'd end up in a group home. Not to mention," she continued, "I have no idea when I'll be adopted or if I ever will be adopted, so…." She turned and looked right up at Tony. _God, those eyes again!_ "Mr. Stark do you really want me?" she asked bluntly. "With all my freakishness, all my problems, all my…," she trailed off. "Do you really want me?" she whispered. Tony's heart was literally in shambles. _What have those sorry excuses for human beings done to this poor girl?!_ he seethed. _Of course I want her. I'd be a fool not to. If anything I don't deserve her._

He was about to set the record straight and tell her how much he wanted her to be a part of his small family; the one he finally realized he wanted… but then that woman just had to open her mouth! _She is getting real annoying, real fast!_

"Georgiana, dear. I don't think what Mr. Stark is offering is exactly is a permanent fixture." she tried to intervene _The gall of that woman!_ Tony was ready to duct tape her mouth shut just to shut her up _That, that b-!_

"Of course it's permanent!" he all but shouted. "Look," he argued. "I wouldn't even offer something like this if I wasn't ready to commit. I mean…" he hesitated briefly. The with a deep breath, he continues, almost mumbling as he said, "Okay… It's just, when I was younger… my parents were hardly ever there you know?"

Tony was really conflicted what to say next. He wanted to show Georgiana that he wanted her, that she wasn't alone. He didn't really want to 'bear all'— not even Pepper knew all the dirty laundry of the Stark family— but maybe allowing her to see a real part of him could help Georgiana realize that he really cared. This was the most serious and life changing decision that Tony had ever made— only the events of Afghanistan and their repercussions, and the choices he had to make then, came close. But it was also a decision he was absolutely sure of. Something about Georgiana just told him that it was right. His life wouldn't be complete without her now that he had found her. It was with an unguarded heart he made the rest of his speech.

"I was always with sitters, nannies, and at boarding schools," he said, looking the girl straight in the eyes. "I know what it feels like to be alone," Tony told her, "and I wouldn't want any other kid to go through that. I went through some pretty horrible stuff recently, but I made it through because I had people that actually cared for me around me, helping me." He paused for a moment, thinking about Pepper and Rhodey. Without them… he didn't want to think about it. He refocused on Georgina and saw that she was hanging on his every word, her green eyes huge. He ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, kid," he said roughly, "if it's what you want, I would love to adopt you." He made sure his sincerity came through in every word. "I feel like I could be the one to care for you." he continued. "But if you don't want me to I'll still do my absolute best to make sure you get the best family possible," he declared. He let out a breath with a whoosh. Normally, Tony wouldn't even consider revealing even the smallest tid-bit of his personal life. But for the sake of this girl, not only did he reveal part of his tortured past, he also put himself out there emotionally. _That idiot of a therapist I had when I was in the 7th grade would be so proud of me._

Before this moment, Tony had never been so terrified of rejection. He was never really subjected to major rejection as a child or even an adult so he never thought much of it. But, right now if Georgiana said no to him… _I don't know what I'll do._ he thought wonderingly. _I've only known her for, what, like 2 hours? And I can't imagine not having her as my kid, my daughter. Pepper and I could finally have a real family. All I could ever want is right here, but if she says no…_

Georgiana interrupted his rapidly spiraling thoughts. "Are. You. Mental?" she cried. "Of course I want to live with you!" The little girl scrambled off the floor at the conclusion of her exclamation and attacked Tony's legs in a huge hug. Tony slowly crouched down to her height, and more than hesitantly brought his arms around her, enveloping her.

Turning her head towards, she whispered in his ear, "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

In that moment, for the first time since he became Iron Man, Tony truly felt like a hero.

* * *

 **Please, please, please review! I definitely want feedback on this chapter so I can see what has to be changed. Thanks a bunches for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks a bunches for reading and the reviews everyone. I could never in my wildest dreams anticipate this kind of reaction to my first legit story. Thanks again. Here's chapter five, hope you enjoy! Thanks to my beta reader TheLostPevensie!**

 **P.S. Oh, and as you can probably tell I am not from the UK, so if my references are completely wrong I am very, very sorry.**

* * *

Having Georgiana in his arms, he felt a happy warmth take over his entire being, a warmth he was bereft of from his own father. He really didn't want to let her go, but she carefully eased out of his arms and then turned to face Sally.

"Ms. Sophia," she asked. _So that's her name!_ thought Tony _,_ "Can I leave and go with Mr. Stark now?"

"Yeah, I forgot to ask," Tony jumped in. "Is the adoption procedure the same here as in America?" The woman just stared at him laconically. Tony raised his eyebrows at her, an unsaid "Feel free to speak up anytime, are you even paying attention?" stamped across his face.

"Oh, you actually want me to answer?!" she said sarcastically. "Aren't you going to cut me off and display your superior knowledge?" She had her arms crossed over her chest, like a child without their toy. _How immature,_ thought Tony. _And here I am trying to be nice!_

"I could," he smirked, "but I wouldn't want to take the spotlight away from you, so…"

She let out an indignant huff. But as she was about to continue their battle of wits, Georgiana cut her off.

"Ms. Sophia could you please answer his question," The irritating woman's countenance softened immediately. "It's just…" Georgina hesitated, "I've never had someone actually want me before, and I really want to live with Mr. Stark. He saved me when no one else did," she explained softly. "He said he wants to take care of me."

 _Ha! Take that Ms. Immature!_ Tony bent down to pick Georgiana up and held her in his arms like he was actually never planning to let go.

Sofia had lost the frown on her face, and her lips reluctantly turned up just bit at the sight before her. "Mr. Stark," she sighed. "I have heard a fair amount about you." She gave him a look as if to say, None of it good, mind you. "But," she continued. "I have only personally known you for a little over 10 minutes." She brushed her hair back from her face and sighed again. "However," she admitted, "I can see you really care about her, and that's what she needs the most right now," she decided. "There are," she said carefully, "certain channels you can go through to speed through the process, given that Georgiana's birth parents are deceased and her guardians have had all legal rights over her terminated." She sighed. "It's true she needs immediate placement. Ordinarily, that would be in a group or foster home," she elaborated, "but if I can see where you are staying for the time being in England it shouldn't be a problem. There is also," she warned, "the fact that you and your girlfriend, if you plan on giving her parental rights as well, will have to stay in England until the adoption procedure is over and you have been approved by the courts." She gave him a long look at the end of this speech.

 _Sounds easy enough,_ decided Tony, _just excruciatingly long. But, it's totally worth it._

"Okay then!" he announced. "Let me go grab the car and call the hotel, and Pepper." _Shit!_ he suddenly realized _Pepper is going to shoot me for adopting a kid without her even here. So much for making decisions together. Eh, she can't be mad for long once she sees Georgiana._

"Can I come with you?" Georgiana questioned. Tony looked to Sophia for consent.

"Of course," the woman agreed, "just come back here after you've brought the car 'round so we can fill out the temporary paperwork." Tony nodded to Sophia— once an irritant, now any ally in his mission— and walked out the front door with Georgiana still in his arms.

By the time they left the house it was already nightfall; surprising since it felt as though hardly any time had passed to him. They began the short trek to the car. When they finally reached it, Tony placed the noe drowsy young girl in the passenger seat of the two-door car. Meanwhile, Tony he pulled out his phone to do the inevitable and call Pepper. He turned his head to face Georgiana.

"Okay," he explained, "I have to call Pepper— that's my girlfriend—" he winced as he realized just how much he had to fill Georgiana in on— "and tell her about you. So, can you please be quiet for a minute so I can concentrate on navigating the minefield of her infamous temper?" He winked to show he was joking, and Georgiana just quickly bobbed her head up and down in a yes, with her lips sealed.

 _Great, okay, hopefully I will still retain my hearing after this._ He quickly dialed the number and waited through the rings until she finally picked up.

"Hello, Tony," She sounded tired. _Makes sense if she's been in meetings all day._

"Hey, Pepper. Where are you?" he asked casually.

"On my way to the hotel," she answered. "Why?"

"Oh, perfect," said Tony. "Can you change the suite, so we can have an extra bedroom," he asked quickly.

"Um, why?" questioned Pepper, sounding more and more suspicious by the second.

Tony though quickly. "I'm bringing in your birthday-slash-anniversary gift," he claimed.

"Tony," Pepper's voice cracked over the phone, "my birthday isn't for another 6 months and our anniversary is not for another 8," Now she sounded extremely suspicious.

"Pepper, just please hear me out…" Tony pleaded.

"Tony…" Her voice was giving off a combination of anxiousness and anger. Tony pressed on before she could go off on a tirade.

"You know how we were talking about having kids…" he segued desperately.

"And how you wouldn't settle till you found the perfect kid…" Pepper reminded him, sounding a bit confused as to where this was going.

"Yeah well, I changed my mind." Tony spat out in a rush. There was dead silence on the other side of the conversatio for a solid 5 seconds.

"Tony what are you getting at?" Pepper questioned him almost fearfully. Tony first looked to Georgiana in the passenger seat, only to see that the girl had fallen soundly asleep. _I'll have to get a new car and a car seat,_ he realized. He started to drive back in the direction of a gas station; he would circle back to #4 Privet Drive after.

"When I got off the phone with you before, I was in a park in the middle of suburbia," Tony began. "And while I was there, I saw this kid, completely on her own. She's a little girl," he continued, "her name's Georgiana. She's about 6 years old-"

"How do you even know that?" she interrupted incredulously.

"She told me, obviously," huffed Tony. "Can I finish my story now?" he asked sarcastically.

"Ugh, you're so...ugh," griped Pepper, apparently lost for words. "Keep going," she said finally sighed. Tony could tell she was getting frustrated with the limited information.

"I went up to her and asked her why she was there and all alone," he continued, "cause let's be honest a young kid like that should not be on their own anywhere." He picked up speed as he talked so Pepper wouldn't have a chance to interrupt. "She said her parents were dead, and she was really standoffish about any other personal information…"

" God, that's awful," exclaimed Pepper. "And of course she'd be stand-offish, Tony," she reprimanded him. "Good for her. One of the first things kids get drilled into their brains is not to talk to strangers!" Tony could practically see the eye-roll he was sure Pepper was making on the other end of the call.

 _Yeah, that would be a good thing to teach her,_ he mused. He looked over to Georgiana, and then remembering she was asleep. _Maybe later._

"Yes, yes, now shush. She asked me what the time was, and when I told her she nearly left an afterimage she ran away so fast," he said. " I followed her, obviously, to make sure she got home safe, being the good person I am—"

"Pfft! Right!" she scoffed.

Ignoring her aside, Tony continued to probably the hardest part of the whole experience to talk about."Pepper what I saw when I got to her house was," he paused and exhaled a shaky breath. "I…" He ran a hand through his hair. " Well, some guy, her uncle I guess, was beating her up— he heard Pepper's gasp of shock, but he had to get the rest of it out before he lost his nerve— " and his wife, her aunt, was literally screeching at her like a banshee. And clearly this happened pretty damn often , because their son, same age as she is I'd guess, didn't even care! Just kept shouting at them to pay more attention to him." He shook his head in disgust.

"Oh my God." Pepper gasped. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah she's fine," he sighed, "but Pepper, that's what I want to talk to you about. They were going to send her to some group home," he explained. "Those horrible relatives of hers, were her last living family. Pepper, you wouldn't believe this girl," he passionately state. "She is so small, they must've been withholding food from her," he closed his eyes at the thought, "but she is so smart, so brave… you would love her. She even kind of looks like you!" He added. "Her hair's the same color as yours, maybe a little darker. And those eyes…" _They're the same color as mine,_ he thought, though he didn't say it. _Pepper, this girl looks like she could really be our child._ "She really is something special," he said at last, with a warm smile on his face that he would have called sappy on anyone else.

"Tony? Is this going where I think it's going?" asked Pepper cautiously. "Do you want us to adopt her?" Tony could hear the hopefulness in her voice.

"Yeah, Pep," he said a little shakily. "I want her to be our daughter." _I never thought I'd see the day when anything remotely resembling this situation would have the slightest chance of happening._ "She needs a home, a family," he emphasized, "and I think we would do a damn good job of giving her that," he finished. There was a long moment of silence over the phone. "Pep?" he asked. "Pepper, you there?"

Tony could hear in her voice that she tearing up a bit. She let out a breathy laugh, "Yeah I'm here.," she confirmed. "Tony you don't have any idea how happy I am right now."

"You'll only be more excited when you meet her," smiled Tony, "Honestly, Pepper, I just can't wait to bring her home. Listen," he said. "I have to get back and figure this paperwork thing out. We'll meet you in a couple hours. I love you," he told her.

"I love you too, Tony," said Pepper. "I'll see you then. Bye, drive safe."

"Will do, bye." Tony ended the call.

* * *

They had arrived back at the house. The police cars had gone; only one was left and it was a Ford Focus, which probably belonged to Sofia. He grabbed Georgiana from the passenger side, lifting her up into his arms as she was still sleeping. He walked back inside the house where a single police officer was sitting with Sophia at dining room table crouched over a spread of paperwork. The police officer noticed his presence first.

"Ah, Mr. Stark, perfect timing," he said. "We were just going over the last bits of paperwork, all you have to do is sign the following documents and you can be on your way," he explained. He laid out the papers Tony was meant to sign and a pen next to them.

"Before you sign, Mr. Stark," said Sophia, "I do have to inform you about some… irregularities we've uncovered." She looked troubled. "Georgiana's parents, Lily Potter nee Evans and James Charlus Potter, are proving extremely difficult to find information on," she informed him. "The only reason I even know their names is because I found Georgiana's birth certificate— from a hospital called St. Mungo's, which I've never heard of, and that's strange in and of itself—' she huffed in frustration, "while I was rooting through the Dursleys' attic looking for information. With the parents' names, I was able to find records for the mother up till age 11," she shared a look with the policeman, "but after that she vanishes. There are no records at all for the father, no birth certificate, nothing about schooling or employment, nothing official indicating his existence at all." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, something the Tony thought was a nervous tic. "We did find a newspaper article matching the time that Georgiana was placed with the Dursleys describing a fire in a town, Godric's Hollow, and the death of a young couple called the Potter's," she further explained, "but there is no mention of a daughter; and the entirety of Privet Drive seems convinced that the parents were killed in a car accident while driving under the influence. It's all very strange, and I have more questions than answers at this point." She sighed. "In any case, here's her birth certificate—" she handed him the document— "and you may want to look through this box I found it in. It seems to be full of the late Mrs. Potter's things." _Okay, that's weird._ Tony looked at the birth certificate absently, mind already whirling.

"I still have to do a home study of where you will all be permanently living once the court proceedings are done," she reminded him, " but the process is well on its way. Do you have any questions, Mr. Stark?" she asked him.

 _Tons,_ he thought. _But for now, just one…_

"Where do I sign?"

Tony quickly affixed his signature to every single paper while quickly scanning them to see if anything was out of order. When he was done, he grabbed the box from the attic and put it in the trunk of the car, and placed the still sleeping Georgiana back in the passenger seat and fastening her in. He got in the car and drove into the night in the direction of the hotel. Looking over at Georgiana's sleeping figure, he couldn't imagine a prettier picture. Suddenly, the car's monitor showed Pepper's face and the ringtone Tony had applied to her phone number.

"Hey, Tony," she greeted him. "it's getting late. When are you coming home," she asked. "There weren't any problems bringing Georgiana…" she trailed off.

"No, Pepper." He smiled at her worry. "We're on our way. We're coming home."

* * *

 **A/N: Review, please. And thanks a bunches for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Thank you again for reading and reviewing. I love to hear how you all reacted to the chapter so please review. Here's chapter 6, hope you enjoy! Thanks to my beta TheLostPevensie, without whom this story would have sunk like the Titanic!**

* * *

 **Pepper's POV:**

 _Oh my God,_ thought Pepper numbly. Then, _Oh my GOD!_ She stood rooted to the spot in the center of the new suite she'd booked after Tony's life-changing call. Once they'd hung up, she had allowed herself about 10 seconds of shocked and delighted silence, and then sprung into action in typical Pepper style, getting the new suite, having all their things moved into it, childproofing everything in preparation for the girl's arrival (it wasn't so different from her normal Tony-proofing, really). Now that there was absolutely nothing more for her to do and she had time to process, she found herself unable to do anything but stand while her thoughts ran in circles. _A child,_ she thought wonderingly _he's bringing a child. Our little girl._ The words sounded so right, and yet they were ones she worried would never become reality…

* * *

Three months ago…

It was Tony and Pepper's weekly Friday date night, and it was a gorgeous, breezy night in Malibu. They had decided to have a night in and cook their own dinner. Pepper was doing most of the cooking, whereas Tony was picking up and eating some of the ingredients that were scattered around the professional kitchen.

"Tony if you keep eating all the croutons not only are we going to have a very blasé salad, but you are going to get a stomachache," Pepper chided him, then lightly whacking him on the head with a spare wooden spoon that was lying dormant until then on the counter. He just gave her an easy smirk and grabbed another crouton, then started to set the table. (The salad was, sadly, scratched from the menu since Pepper refused to have a salad without croutons.)

Tony had changed significantly after Afghanistan. He was more mature, not by much but by Tony's standards it was a huge improvement. He was more caring— he was still cocky, but not as plain straight-up arrogant. Though no one but those closest to him could really see the changes in him, to Pepper it was like he was a different person; a better person.

They decided on Italian, and Pepper insisted to do the full 5-course meal. They didn't do the antipasto though, given that Tony ate that while Pepper wasn't looking. (He claimed it was the dog; Pepper reminded him they didn't have a dog. He did not look appropriately guilty.) They did eat the primo (the pasta) and the secondo (chicken) over small, light, delightful conversation. It was a wonderful evening. Both of them were getting a little bit too full to eat through the contorno, so they settled down with the dolce. An easy silence fell over the two.

"You know, Tony, I don't remember a time it's ever been this quiet," Pepper commented.

"Well, it was plenty quiet when I was a kid." Toy said absently. "It was just me and the nanny, so… yeah, pretty used to the quiet…" he trailed off, then quickly shook his head, seeming to snap back to the present. "Anyway, what about the quiet?" he asked her.

"No, it's just I was thinking," said Pepper hesitantly, "maybe we should, you know, fill the 'quiet'." She bit her lip as she looked at him.

"OH, you think so?" He drawled out the words, tilting his head… again... with that smirk. _Ugh, why is that damn thing so charming!_ thought Pepper, vexed at herself. _Even when his mind was in the gutter. It use to be annoying as hell._ And yet it had grown on her. She shook herself.

"I'm just saying," she tried again, "that it's getting a bit quiet and lonely. Just the two of us, here, in this big house…" She knew she was beating around the bush, but she couldn't help it. Tony clearly wasn't seeing where she was going with this.

"Pepper what are you getting at?" he asked confusedly. "It's always been like this," he cocked his head, "and even you were never bothered by it before. And," he continued with his you-know-I'm-right smirk, "if I recall correctly, you said that 'you couldn't take anything or anyone after dealing with me on a daily basis'." He started leaning back on the back legs of his chair, slightly tipping it over.

"I said that four years ago!" exclaimed Pepper indignantly. "How would you even remember that? You can't remember when you have your next board meeting!" she complained. "And that's on the same day every month!" She shook her head in exasperation with a tinge of fondness. It would be just like Tony to remember something like that but "forget" (read: ignore) the board meetings of his own company.

"Eh, whatever," Tony deflected. "So, back to the topic at hand," he said, "what do you want, a dog or something? A cat? A bird? A car? A new J.A.R.V.I.S? A-"

"A child, Tony!" burst out Pepper. _Crap!_ she thought chagrined. _So, much for easing him into it._ Tony's chair slammed right back to the ground.

"I'm sorry, what?" Tony asked incredulously. "You're joking, right?" Pepper could see the moment when he looked into her eyes and realized she was deadly serious. "Pepper," he said unsteadily, "what… I mean, what brought this on?"

"I don't know," Pepper said miserably. This was going even worse than she'd been afraid it might. "I have been thinking about a lot actually," she admitted. "I mean I'm not getting any younger, and for as long as I could remember I have always wanted a child of my own." She rushed to add. "The kid doesn't even have to be ours biologically," she said desperately. "I would love to adopt, really. I just… I…" she looked away. "I really want this, Tony," she whispered.

Tony got up and stood with his hands covering hers where they were clenched on the table. "Pepper," he sighed with a strange look in his eyes, "you would make an amazing mother, but look at me!" he said, seeming suddenly almost angry. _Not at me, though,_ Pepper thought. "My past!" he continued, "my now, even! I'm not exactly father of the month type," he said bitterly, "And, it's not like I had a real role-model for the gig either." He removed his hands from hers and ran them over his face. "My dad was never there, my mother tried I guess," he said, voice muffled, "but then I would be shipped off for boarding school and so much for that! When they died," he looked away from her, "it destroyed any possibility of regaining those relationships. For a while I thought Obi could somewhat fill the role," he said with a cynical glance back at her, "but yeah we saw that blow up in my face! Literally!" He jumped up and began pacing by no means losing steam. "There is also the fact that we're busy 24/7.. Not a single moment to breathe, especially you!" he gestured at her, then began to pace again. "It doesn't stop there either, look at my lifestyle!" he shouted helplessly. "Do really think some poor, innocent kid deserves some absentee dad," he asked brokenly. He stopped pacing, just standing in front of the large window. "No kid deserves that," he whispered. "I don't deserve a child. I don't." He clenched his hand into a fist. "I'd screw that up like everything else in my life." He stood there for a moment, just staring out the window, then hissed and suddenly shook out his hand. Pepper briefly saw angry red crescent marks on his palm and realized he'd actually broken the skin, he'd been so tense.

Tony shook his head and ruffled his hair, and strode out the room, heading for his workshop downstairs. _He would probably stay in there until he cooled how or successfully suppressed his feelings— it was his usual M.O._ Pepper's heart broke. Seeing Tony like that, so many things suddenly fell into place. It was like the rose-tinted lenses through which she'd unconsciously viewed Tony's past had fallen away, revealing the truth he'd been trying to gloss over for so long.

 _I'm such an idiot._

She got up from the table, and slowly started making her way down the staircase to the workshop.

"Shit!" Tony threw the screwdriver in his hand across the room and ignored the resulting in crash. It didn't bring him any satisfaction/ He roughly sat down on a chair and started running his hands over his face.

Pepper saw him through the glass walls surrounding the workshop. Silently keying in the code, she walked over to him and, facing him, put her hands on his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"Tony, I'm sorry—" Pepper began.

"No, Pepper," he said roughly. "Don't tell me you're sorry. I'm a jackass," he said angrily, "I don't deserve your apologies. I don't deserve you." He inhaled deeply and looked up at her. "You deserve everything you ever wanted, and if that's a kid…" he set his jaw. "If you— if you want that kid with me," he said resolutely, "then that's what you're going to get."

Pepper couldn't quite believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.

"I don't think it would be a good idea if the kid was biologically ours, can you imagine someone having a combination of our personalities? It would be a catastrophe." Pepper chuckled, glad to see his sense of humor appearing again. "But I think I would be okay with adopting," he told her. "That kid though, any kid we would adopt, would have to really be something different to put up with us," he said. "Pepper, I'm serious, we need a kid that will be able to stick it out, when the craziness that is our lives, the paparazzi, the business, Iron Man, and everything else start coming at us. My biggest fear is messing this kid up." He looked her right in the eyes, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself," he said. "I refuse to become my father."

Pepper's expressional changed from joy to thoughtfulness. "I don't think you would," she assured him sincerely. "You have changed so much, Tony, and it's for the better. And being so super conscious about messing up, I don't think you will," she added.

"If you say so," Tony deadpanned, then breaking out laughing. "Tell you what why don't we ditch the rest of dinner, and start the application process," he offered.

"Sounds great, because, well, I'm pretty sure I screwed up the dessert anyway," she agreed, taking his hand and leading him to the desk with the computer.

"I knew there was something off about it!"

* * *

Present…

After that they had gone to a few adoption agencies, and seen a couple of kids, but Tony didn't believe any of those kids would be good fit for the two of them and their lifestyle. The fact that he had adopted a child practically overnight bothered Pepper a little bit. _We were supposed to make this decision together,_ she thought, a little annoyed. But, she found she couldn't fault him too much, considering the situation.

Pepper had called Tony only moments ago to see what was going on. She knew that adopting children had it's challenges… the emotional hardships, the whole lengthy process of adopting— it sounded like a nightmare. The fact he had pushed the adoption through in 5 hours flat has to be some sort of record. _I doubt anyone but him could swing that internationally,_ she thought _._ Despite Tony's vast connections, though, she still worried that there would be roadblocks in bringing Georgiana home.

 _Which reminds me, I need to…_ KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! _I need to open the door!_ Pepper ran straight for the door, nearly tripping over the are rug in her strappy black heels, regaining her balance, and using the door itself to stop her momentum. _The last time I was this anxious,_ she realized, _my parents told me we were going to Disney and I speed packed everything a month early. Maybe we can take Georgiana to Disney World!_ came the random thought. _Ugh, not right now,_ she chastised herself. She slid open and pulled the door open from the inside. The sight that greeted her on the other side of the door absolutely made her heart melt.

There was Tony in his signature black, sleek, pinstriped suit… covered in dust with disheveled hair, a mussed tie, and a partly popped collar… and the most adorable, beautiful girl Pepper had ever seen asleep on his shoulder.

"Oh Tony—" Pepper began. Tony used his free arm to signal her to "shush".

"Where is her bedroom?" He asked in the quietest voice he could manage as he entered the suite.

"Door to the left, we're on the right," She signaled towards the door. "I got them to send someone out for a couples changes of clothes for her, I laid them out on the bed."

Tony shook his head. "I don't wake her up or freak her out by trying to change her," he said quietly. "Let's cross that bridge in the morning."

Both of them walked into the room, with Georgiana still in Tony's arms. Pepper pulled back the covers of the queen size bed while Tony slid her underneath them and tucked her in. Both of them stood back and just observed her. _It's funny…_ thought Pepper. _She actually looks like she could be our own kid._ Pepper wrapped her arms around Tony's waist and leaned her head in the crook of his neck.

"What color are her eyes?" She asked softly.

"Hazel, like you wouldn't believe," he said in affection. "You're gonna have a hard time saying no to her when she looks at you with those eyes. It's kind of like saying no to me," he considered seriously.

"You know, I'm not sure if that's the right comparison," Pepper quirked an eyebrow at Tony, "Because it just so happens that saying no to you is kind of like second nature. If not first," she joked. "And what about you, huh?" she asked. "Do you have a hard time saying no to her?" _Wonder if she's gonna be a daddy's girl,_ Pepper smiled. _I can so see that._

"Oh, I know I can't say no to her," Tony shook his head fondly. Pepper looked at him questioningly in amusement. "I spent all of, what, 4 hours?" he thought back, "yeah, about that, with her, and I physically couldn't say anything resembling 'no' to her. Not that she was asking for much," he muttered, "just to, you know, actually be loved for the first time in her life…" His hand tightened slightly on Pepper's shoulder. She'd heard him on the phone, of course, but she knew she'd have she'd have to get the full story later from him later, Now, though, probably wasn't the best time.

"You know eventually you will have to say no to her?" she looked at him sardonically. "Being her father and all…" she reminded him.

"One step at a time, Pep," Tony said with a small smile. "One step."

The couple walked out of the room, leaving the door ajar in case Georgiana woke up. Together, they sat on the sofa, each emotionally and physically drained. They just sat in peaceful, soundless reflection… until Pepper's curiosity got the better of her.

"So, how long until we can officially call her ours?" she asked eagerly (though quietly, with a look at the slightly-opened door).

"Now," Tony told her. "Not sure when the paperwork will be completely done though," he clarified, "It's really funny 'cause some of her records are gonna be hard to get. Looks like it's gonna be a nightmare," he sighed. Tony turned around and leaned back on the sofa so he could directly face Pepper. He had the most solemn expression on his face, which was a tell-tale sign this wasn't going to be easy.

"Pepper, I thought my childhood was bad," he said softly, ruffling his hair absentmindedly. "Mine was a luxury cruise in comparison! And this is only what we already know." He fidgeted with his hands, running them over the couch and then back through his hair. "Her past is another thing entirely. She was born on July 31st, nearly seven years ago. Her birth mother's name was Lily Potter née Evans, the horrid aunt, Petunia, was her sister. Her dad's name was James Charlus Potter. Their cause of death is not even solid, and I have scoured all my resources and came up with nothing." Pepper could hear the rising frustration in his voice; to his credit he allowed only the emotion, not the volume he clearly wanted to shout at, to leak through. "I've hacked the FBI, CIA, MI6, S.H.I.E.L.D while I was driving here…" he told her. "You name it, I hacked it and still no word on either. Lily had records up until she was 11 and then nothing. James had none except his name on Georgiana's birth certificate. How can anyone in this day and age have absolutely no records? Were they gypsies?" he asked in annoyance. "The caseworker said we shouldn't have to worry about relations coming in, both sets of grandparents are dead and no others were mentioned. Haven't even found a will. I'm just scared that some unknown relation will just come in and take her away, and we won't be able to do anything about it. And if she does get picked up by someone else, who says they won't be maniacs like her aunt and uncle."

Tony put his face in his hands and let out melancholy sigh. Pepper enveloped him in an embrace and placed a kiss his cheek.

"Tony, I don't care about her past," she assured him. "And I have feeling neither do you. We have been through alot together and this," she said emotionally, "this gift, which is Georgiana, she's exactly that. Our gift. We will to do right by her and give her a family that loves and cherishes her. We are going to be her parents Tony!" she emotionally reminded him. We are going to be good parents." With that the overnight parents fell asleep on the sofa, with their thoughts concentrated on one particular little girl.

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 **A/N: Please review and tell me our thoughts! Thanks a bunches everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Just took my last finals (hoping I passed)! So, I will try to stay on track with that one chapter a day thing. Thanks for all of those who have read and reviewed, I appreciate. Ok, here is chapter 6! Enjoy!**

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 **Georgiana's POV:**

" _I am sorry, Uncle Vernon! I'm sorry, I won't go out again!" Georgiana screamed and thrashed, trying in vain to get out of her Uncle's grasp. Without even seeming to recognize her attempt at resistance, he tossed her roughly into the cupboard and locked it. Even alone in her prison, with her Uncle having left, she could still feel someone touching her and… talking._

" _Georgiana, kid, wake up. Come on," said a man's voice._

"Georgiana honey, come on, it's only a dream." This voice was female and it didn't sound like Aunt Petunia's awful shrieking. _Maybe I am sleeping,_ thought Georgiana fuzzily. _Well, sounds like that's over with. I'd better wake up, or they'll be cross…_

Georgiana fluttered her eyes open, and the sight that greeted her surprised her and oddly comforted her. Mr. Stark was there; he had the sleepy baggy eyes. Then, to his left was a woman. She was really pretty. She had red hair, like Georgiana's but fairly lighter, and sparkly blue eyes. They had been leaning over her; Mr. Stark's hand was hovering over her shoulder and Georgiana wondered if he'd been about to try and shake her. He put the hand down on top of the covers instead and lowered himself down to sit on the side of the bed, twisted around to look at her. The pretty lady sat down next to him with her knees tucked under her, and gently placed her hand on Georgiana's cheek, making small soothing circles with her thumb.

 _Wait…_ thought Georgiana. Suddenly she became conscious of where she was. _I'm in a bed?_ she thought confusedly. _I don't have a bed, especially this comfy and soft. I have a cot. And I definitely don't have covers. Where am I?_

Georgiana then took a moment to observe her surroundings. It was a really nice room. It was big, it had a tv, a desk, cabinet. Things that would be unremarkable in a normal kid's room, but which were totally foreign to her. She looked to the two adults who were in front of here.

"Where am I?" she finally asked.

Mr. Stark answered her. "In the hotel where the three of us— you, me, and Pepper— are staying until we finish up the adoption process. Don't worry," he assured her with a grin, "we have a much bigger, cooler place back in Malibu."

"Mr. Stark," Georgiana said firmly, if a little nervously, "I don't care how big or small your house is. Just tell me the truth," she pleaded. "How long before Ms. Sophia takes me and puts me in a group home? I know you said I would be staying with you but-" Already, in the few minutes since she'd woken up, Georgiana's imagination had taken off, and her mind— which had been conditioned by the Dursleys to never expect the best, and always fear the worst— was leaping ahead to the rejection she dreaded was fast approaching.

Before Tony could even begin to formulate an explanation, Pepper was lightening-quick to quell Georgiana's fears. "No, no, no," she soothed, looking like she was trying hard not to show she was about to cry. "You're staying with us. Forever," she promised. "If you let us we would love to adopt and be your parents, guardians, whatever. We just want you in our lives."

Georgiana felt her fear abate a bit, but— "I'm sorry," she explained softly, biting her lip, "it's just too good to be true. Everyone who ever noticed me or tried to help me ends up leaving." She tried to keep her voice strong. "I don't want to get my hopes up," she finally said, looking down in shame.

Tony gently took her face in his hand and gently turned her face toward his. "Hey, enough of that," he admonished her. "You are staying with us. We have about a 2 weeks more England and then we can go home," he asserted. "And you don't have to testify at the Dursleys' trial," he grinned viciously, "so you don't have to ever see those ba-"

"Tony… " Pepper warned.

" -bad people," continued Tony without pause, shooting Pepper a satisfied look, "ever again." Georgiana looked from Tony to Pepper, him smirking and her glaring halfheartedly, and made a resolution. _This is what I want_. She pushed back the covers and hesitantly slid over to where Tony was half-leaned, half-sat on the edge of the bed. Slowly, she inched toward him, but Tony, seeing what she wanted, didn't wait for her— he grabbed her and tucked her into his side. Pepper breathed out heavily, in a watery chuckle, then threw her arms around both of them both. They remained huddled there together for a moment, reveling in the feeling of family.

Georgiana slightly withdrew, reluctantly, from the affection-filled embrace and asked boldly, "So, what do I call the both of you?"

"Whatever you want," Tony and Pepper said in unison. Georgiana giggled. She felt a happiness stronger than anything she'd ever felt filling her up and overflowing.

"Well, I really don't remember my actual parents," she mused, a little more serious now, "and I never had anyone like a mommy or daddy sort of person around me. So, I guess I wouldn't mind having a new mommy and daddy," she decided with a little nod to herself.

"Ok, so which one is which?" Tony joked. Pepper gave him a teasing slap on his arm.

"I don't know Daddy," Georgiana pretended to think. "Why don't you ask Mummy," she suggested with a giggle. She'd already seen that Pepper controlled Tony, and not the other way around.

Tony and Pepper burst into fits of laughter, scooping Georgiana back into their little circle of love.

"Oh, she's definitely my daughter. She's a sassy Stark," Tony said, tickling Georgiana's tummy.

"Speaking of, is that what we are going to call you Georgiana Stark, legally I mean?" Pepper asked.

" Um... " Georgiana hesitantly interjected. _I don't want to hurt their feelings when they are being so nice to me,_ Georgiana thought. _but…_ "Can I… Is there… I mean, can I use your name but still keep mine, somehow?" she asked, peeking out at them from behind her hair, which had fallen in front of her face. "That way I can keep a bit of my first mummy and daddy with me," she explained. "I know I have you two now, but… I just don't want to forget my family," she rushed to add. "Not the Dursley part, I don't want to think about that ever again, but my parents… just the part of my other parents." She looked up innocently at her new Mommy and Daddy.

Pepper let out a subconscious little "aww" sound, then turned to Tony, commenting in a jesting tone, "I see what you meant about the eyes." And then turning to Georgiana, she said, "Of course you can, honey. We'll just make it Georgiana Lily Potter-Stark," she explained. "People do that all the time, it's just called hyphenating. And that way you got all of us with you."

"Speaking of names," Tony mused. "we need to give you a nickname. Georgiana is a nice, but it's a mouthful. Hmm," he thought, "I got it! Henceforth, young lady, you shall be called Georgie," he declared beaming down at her.

"Okay," agreed Georgiana, grinning back up at him. _I like it! It makes me sound cool,_ Georgiana thought.

Tony bounced off the bed and announced, "Okay, enough of the super emotional crap. First things first. We are going to go shopping for new clothes for you, so you don't look like the Little Mermaid version of Cinderella pre bippity-boppity-boo. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean, she had character. But anyway. Then…"

Georgiana interrupted his flow of thought, "Who's the Little Mermaid and what's Cinderella?" she questioned him. "Is it some kind of disease?"

Tony picked right back up where he left off. "Then, we are going to buy every Disney movie in creation," he declared. "And then we'll have to buy a toy store-"

Pepper put her foot down at that point, "Tony we are not buying her a toy story," she told him firmly. "I will not have this girl spoiled— it's just as bad as being neglected in its own way, you told me yourself what that cousin of hers was like," she reminded him pointedly. "We can buy her toys, movies, clothes, whatever, I totally agree, but we are not going to spoil her. I absolutely refuse to do that." She crossed her arms, daring him to argue.

"Okay, okay, fine," Tony negotiated, "I'll put a 150 toy cap but no budget."

"Make it 100 and I'll allow a trip to the water park." Pepper haggled.

"Deal!" Tony exclaimed, slamming his closed fist down on his open palm like a gavel.

"But, I get to lead the wardrobe shopping expedition," Pepper asserted.

"Fine, as long as you get her a full wardrobe for every season, and no quantity cap," Tony qualified.

"Done," blurted Pepper.

Tony then eyed her suspiciously, "You agreed to that much too quickly."

"Hey, clothing is a necessity that shouldn't have too many restrictions," she defended.

"Hhmmm…" Tony narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine whatever," he capitulated, "it seems we have our plans for today figured out. However we haven't figured our eating arrangements," he realized, looking at Georgiana again. "Speaking of I'm starving, let's start with that.

"Sounds, um, good?" Georgiana said hesitantly. She wasn't quite sure what had just happened, and had a bit of a dazed look on her face from trying to follow the… argument? If that was what it had been.

"Great," Tony said, still riding his wave of excitement. "breakfast!"

At the magic word 'breakfast', Georgiana's conditioning kicked in. She hopped up from the bed and made her way toward the door to the bedroom. "So, what do you two want? Scrambled, sunny side, or omelet?" she asked over her shoulder as she found the suite's kitchen. "Where do you keep your frying pan?" she called as she reached for it. "Oh, and can you tell me how you organize your pantry and fridge, so I don't accidently put things away in the wrong place?" There was no frying pan to be found anywhere— Georgiana had check all the cabinets and drawers and didn't know where else to look. She quickly turned one of the burners on, not knowing how long they took to warm up, and turned back to ask again where they kept it, as they hadn't answered the first time

"Georgiana, what are you doing," Pepper asked in alarm. She and Tony had followed her out of the bedroom and were watching in confusion and some fear.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked with a frightened expression. "I'm sorry I can make something else, if you don't like eggs. And it looks like there's no frying pan anyway…" she mumbled to herself.

Pepper ran over to Georgiana, lifting her in her arms and turning the stovetop off in quick succession.

"It's alright," she soothed the worried girl, "but we've got some work to do." She looked at Tony, communicating silently the fact that Georgiana's problems weren't just skin deep and that they didn't end with the removal of the Dursleys.

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 **A/N: Thanks for reading. Review, please.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Ok I am not going to bore you with my stupid author's note. Here's Chapter 7. Enjoy! Changes cutesy of my exemplary beta TheLostPevensie.**

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 **Dumbledore's POV:**

About 500 miles away from the Starks' London hotel, hidden away in mountains, stands a castle, within which was a man named Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sat behind his desk. It was a grand old desk in a grand circular office. Atop his mahogany desk were all sorts of baubles, instruments, and even a few completely random objects. Some were making noises or emitting puffs of smoke. The least strange-looking item there—it was incongruously normal, in fact— was a plain glass bowl full of lemon drops. One object in particular, however, which looked so at home amongst the eclectic collection that most visitors to the office didn't give it a second glance, held an especial importance to the old man, and he valued it more than the rest of the contents of his office combined. It was unassuming amid his wildly varied and eye-catching collection. Simply a glass sphere roughly the size of one of those cricket balls Muggles were so fond of hitting around, mounted on a pedestal and filled with swirls of lights, changing colors.

Albus' intense electric blue eyes, framed by half-moon glasses set haphazardly atop a crooked nose, bored into the sphere, intently watching the swirls of reds, blues, greens, purples, pinks— an entire spectrum of color. To the untrained and unsuspecting eye this was just a novelty piece; they would never suspect it to be a sophisticated instrument that was monitoring the center of a little girl's life force and emotions. An untrained eye would also not notice the words engraved into the base, written in a language incomprehensible to all but the most learned and describing a spell of his own invention— it was one of his prouder moments, the moment he knew he had created something both suited exactly to his own personal purposes and completely unique among wizardkind— were cleverly hidden by the pedestal upon which the orb was resting.

In every spare moment he had, Albus would glance at the at the glass sphere, to see if the future savior of the wizarding world was still alive. For the past 5, nearly 6, years the sphere was mostly in a constant twist of depressed blues, fearful greens, and exhausted greys. Dumbledore knew that placing Georgiana Potter with the Dursleys had its drawbacks, but he also knew that the hardships the girl faced there—not unmanageable, and surely nothing any worse, he assured himself, than what any child back in his day would have experienced— would prove to be the best possible preparation for a the hardships of being a hero. He had considered placing Georgiana with a suitable wizarding family, such as her godparents the Longbottoms (although the subsequent attack by Death Eaters that left them mere shells of themselves confirmed in his mind that it would have been unwise to place Georgiana there), but at the end he had to look at the long game, and he knew a cared-for child like that would never be able to shoulder the burden of the Girl-Who-Lived would have to bear. Nor would she be able to cope with the emotional strain of the challenges that would be thrown at her.

 _Yes, she is better off where she is,_ Albus often reasoned with himself, after having looked at the orb on a particularly difficult day for Georgiana and questioning again his decision to place her there. He knew that his chess-player's mentality sometimes obscured the humanity of the pawns whose lives he directed with such ease to better serve the Greater Good; it was one of the many reasons he had given the orb the ability to show Georgiana's emotions. He'd been through two wars and emerged victorious. After experiences like that and his old wisened age Dumbledore looked at these affairs from a different standpoint. Seeing her sadness and fear was difficult, but her small triumphs felt like his own, so like a doting grandfather he felt whenever he saw those sparks of orange courage and gold satisfaction briefly winking bright in the smoke. It gave him, an old soldier jaded by war, strength to see the innocence and resilience of a child, albeit from a distance. And it gave him confidence that his plans to defeat once and for all the great evil of this generation would come to fruition at the hands of the Girl-Who-Lived.

 _This is unusual._ As he stared in puzzlement at the sphere on this particular day, he was glad of his invention for another reason; it allowed him to detect sudden changes in Georgiana's circumstances in a quick and foolproof way. He had gone to bed early the night before without looking at the sphere, exhausted from a day of research and staff meetings. So now, viewing it for the first time in several hours, he was extremely surprised and even slightly worried. Right now. the glass sphere was displaying a whole slew of emotions that haven't been in play for a long time. There were swirls of blood red love dancing in the ball, with hints of pink anxiousness spotted throughout; but by far the most abundant color in the sphere was a happy yellow. It briefly occurred to him to wonder if the device her was so proud of had broken. _I wouldn't never begrudge the child any happiness,_ he hastened to say to himself, _but still… this is strange._ A crease formed between his eyebrows as he frowned slightly. _I wonder…_

At that moment, green flames ignited from Albus' fireplace, which was in fact a fairly normal occurrence (he had to deal with Floo calls from the minister at least once every few days), and out popped Mrs. Arabella Figg, whom Albus had placed at Privet Drive to keep a closer eye on Georgiana than he could. Arabella looked absolutely frazzled. Hair in a jumble, soot covering her from head to toe, and a cat clutched to her chest.

"Albus," She puffed out. "Oh, you'll never believe— the most shocking thing—" she gestured wildly with her arms, and the cat irritatedly slashed at her and jumped down to the ground. Arabella hardly seemed to notice. "Came as soon as I could—" she huffed, "it's about Georgiana," she told him.

A grave and calculating expression crossed Albus' face for a split second, before he quickly smoothed it out to his customary grandfatherly and sincere visage.

"Please, Arabella." He prompted her to take the comfortable, cushioned seat in front of his desk. "Take a seat and tell me what has transpired."

Collapsing into the offered seat, Arabella launched into her story of the events that had come to pass on Privet Drive.

"Oh, Albus!" she began, "I would have notified you sooner but I had run short of Floo powder and had run to fetch some, and you know how the shops are about selling to people like me—" and she sent him an expressive glance. Albus hid his irritation and returned a sympathetic look. "In any case," she continued, "yesterday there was commotion in the Dursley house. They had all gone out," she explained, "leaving little Georgiana at home— no doubt with a monstrous list of chores," she added derisively. "You know of course that they haven't had me babysit for Georgian in over a year," Albus nodded his head in acknowledgement, making an effort not to show his impatience with Arabella's tendency towards long-winded stories. "—but I have had my cats keeping a close, but discreet eye on her. Mr. Tibbles especially, he has a way with such things. He can spot and terminate a rat in a minute flat," she told him knowledgably. "Anyway, Mr. Tibbles noticed Georgiana had left the house after an hour or so and had encountered a strange man in the park. They talked a bit, and then she sped back off towards the house. The man followed her back and then, of all things, he kicked down the door and rushed inside! By this time the Dursleys had come back," she clarified. "But next thing I know the police have arrived and the Dursleys had been arrested. It turns out Albus," she said tremulously, "that Georgiana was in a condition worse than we had thought."

 _Oh, how could it possibly get worse…?_

Arabella powered on despite her voice cracking and squeaking with the strength of her emotion. "The Dursleys have been hurting her," she told him scandalized. "Vernon had hit her, Petunia has repeatedly scratched her. The fat little boy has constantly bullied her in every way possible. They treated her as a maid, a work slave," she exclaimed. "Albus, she slept in a _cupboard,_ under the stairs."

Dumbledore stood up from his seat and started to pace the length of the office. "Arabella, it is imperative you now answer my inquiries. Did you find out whom the man was Georgiana met in the park?"

"No," She admitted. "But, I do know from the gossip channels of the neighborhood that he was a very wealthy man. American to boot."

 _Odd. Very odd._

"Do you know where the muggles have taken her now?" he asked her seriously.

"No, all that information is very hush-hush," she shook her head. "We have no idea where she has gone. Whether she has been inserted into the system or has already found a new living arrangement, I have no idea."

"How long does the adoption process take in the muggle world?" Albus wondered. His pacing was starting to wear holes in the floor.

"Oh, I have heard that can take anywhere from 4 months to 2 years, or even longer," Arabella said to him, eager to be helpful despite being unsure why he wanted to know. "Depends on the case really."

 _That's comforting. That means we have time to track her down and place her somewhere I can approve of and keep a closer eye on her._

Arabella inserted a suggestion here, "Albus, maybe you can put her in a better home. Or even better yet a proper and kind wizarding family!"

"Yes, yes, perhaps," Albus absently agreed. He was too busy thinking about what he was actually going to do with Georgiana to pay her sentiment much heed. "Thank you, Arabella, for your time and information. Sadly I will have to request your leave as I will have to search for Georgiana as soon as possible." He didn't give her much room to talk. He threw the Floo Powder in the fireplace and helped Arabella into it, waiting until she was gone before he rushed to the painting of Phineas Nigellus Black.

"Phineas," he urged the painting, "I need you to summon Minerva and Severus to my office at once. Something has come up."

"Yes, Albus." Phineas got up from the seat of his painting and left from somewhere within it.

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 **Snape's POV:**

 _I wonder what is so urgent that the old man has me and Minerva practically running to his office,_ wondered Severus Snape, Potions Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as he hurried along with the Transfiguration Professor McGonagall toward the office of the Headmaster.

As Severus and Minerva came to a stop outside the door to Dumbledore's office, the man in question's voice rang out, "Come in."

They wasted no time and simultaneously shoved the doors open. Minerva beat him to the punch line.

"What is it, Albus? Phineas said it was most urgent." Minerva sat herself in the chair opposite Albus, with Snape conjured his own chair— considerably less flowery— before following suit.

"It is grave indeed, Minerva," Albus told her. "The Dursleys, if you recall, the relatives of one Georgiana Potter… have been arrested—"

"WHAT!" came again in unison the two professors voices, jumping out of their seats.

Dumbledore pushed on to get the toughest part out, "-with the charges of domestic, emotional, and neglectful abuse of a child. The child being little Georgiana."

Minerva fell back into her chair in shock and disgust. Snape however was still standing and building up steam and rage at the old coot in front of him.

"You gave us your word, Dumbledore," he seethed. "that Lily's girl would be best off in her sister's care. Even when everyone told you that Petunia absolutely despised Lily, and her whale of husband was no better."

Minerva finally got her wits about her and joined in, "I told you, Albus! I told you!" She seemed to swell with rage, and her Scottish accent became suddenly more prominent. "I had watched those horrid people all day and told you numerous times that it was a horrible idea that wouldn't benefit Georgiana at all!"

 _Lily's little girl. Small, innocent Georgiana!_ Snape was beating himself up inside for letting this fool put her in that wretched place.

"Now both of you calm down," Dumbledore raced to get his next sentence out before another outburst from either of the two. "We have more pressing problems. Georgiana has now been placed somewhere, we don't know where-"

 _Good, she should be far, far away from the likes of you._

"She was apparently saved by a wealthy man from America. That was all I could ascertain from my source about that particular person, but I intend to find her before she is legally adopted or has her guardianship handed over to someone else."

 _That's exactly what should happen._

"If that is to happen she will be doomed; Voldemort is still out there somewhere and she needs to be ready when he reappears. Or else all will be for naught," Dumbledore said passionately.

Minerva and Snape said nothing, each silently debating the information they had been given.

Dumbledore continued, "Now the last day of term is tomorrow; the day after that the three of us will go out on the hunt for Georgiana. Once we find her, I will make a new agenda of what do with her from there. Are we clear?" No longer the benevolent, grandfatherly, and absentminded Headmaster of Hogwarts, Severus knew he and Minerva were getting a now-rare glimpse of the hardened general who had won two wars for Magical Britain.

Both of them gave their consent through their silence and left the room without another word. When they got far away from Dumbledore's office and a majority of the paintings Minerva turned to Snape.

"We really aren't going to hand Georgiana back to Dumbledore like that, are we?" she asked defiantly.

"Of course not," Severus confirmed. "One of us will have to find her first and ensure her guardianship passes over to someone more worthy. If not, Dumbledore will use her like a pawn, just as he does with the rest of us. She will have a miserable life, being manipulated and controlled by that man."

"Agreed," said Minerva firmly. "I will meet you late tonight and we will discuss the details. Good day, Severus," the elderly witch said as she turned to walk away.

"Likewise, Minerva." With that the two went their separate ways.

 _I'll be damned if that manipulating, old buffoon gets his hands on Georgiana again. No, never again will I blindly bow to his will._ Snape made that resolve not caring the consequences, just the safety of Lily's girl.

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 **A/N: Review, please! And thanks a bunches for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me. I also want to clarify something about Georgiana, that has been voiced. Yes, she is going to be a bit of a prodigy. She has to be to outwit Dumbledore eventually. Her character will be explained further as the story progresses. Oh, and for this chapter I'm giving location so that it's easier to see where this character is. Shout out to my beta TheLostPevensie for all the changes.**

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 **Snape's POV; Hogwarts:**

Snape hastened to finish all the school work that needed to be done before he could depart in search of Georgiana. He sat at his desk grading final exam papers in absolute annoyance and exasperation.

 _The moronic dunderheads!_ he growled to himself. _One would think a year would be time enough for them to actually learn something…_

Severus finished grading the last paper and filed it away. _Finally,_ he thought with relief. He had already packed all his bags, potions kits, and other essentials. He and Minerva had decided prior that they would search for Georgiana separately so as to cover more ground. If they find her they would send the other an owl with a hidden message.

Snape took out his wand from the depths of his cloak and pointed it to his luggage. "Reducio!" Instantly, making them barbie doll sized suitcases. He then changed out of his customary black robe, took a shower without the fire-retardant gel he normally used (contrary to what his idiotic students presumed about his hygiene habits, he was simply following the Potions Guide safety regulations), and then donned a casual pale parisian blue shirt, with a grey vest, dark jeans, and a sleek pair of deep brown Oxford shoes. For the finishing touch he tied his hair back in a short pony tail. The rugged-professional-muggle look did Snape wonders, as any of his female colleagues would have proclaimed at that moment. He looked suave and sophisticated, instead of his usual greasy-git persona he used to scare people away.

One thing that Snape had on his side that Albus and Minerva didn't was his muggle knowledge. Since he grew up in the Muggle world, he had an advantage in the race to find Georgiana. Severus' personal residence was in Muggle Hertfordshire. He wasn't as opposed to Muggle methods as he led people to believe. Severus actually prefered living in the middle of mundane world, rather than the idiotic chaos that was the Wizarding world. In this case, his greatest advantage was that he could simply use the Muggle channels of information and use magic to speed up the process. The first place he would have to visit is the HM Prison Bronzefield for Women, in Surrey. To see one Petunia Dursley.

* * *

 **Snape's POV; HMP Bronzefield:**

Snape strode into the prison like he owned the place. He tried not to grimace at the swagger he was putting on— Severus decided that his cover should act like the two people he hated most in the world, (excluding Albus, who was quickly rising through the ranks of people he hated), and those two people were James Potter and Lucius Malfoy. The thought that he might have anything in common with James Ignoramus Potter was especially grated on him, but he knew what needed to be done, and he did it no matter how disgusted he was. Severus advanced towards the security desk where the burliest looking woman he'd ever seen sat with a permanent scowl fixated on her face. _Alright let's find out where that horse-faced wench is,_ he sneered internally.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he raised his eyebrow at her. The woman (Or troll, perhaps? he wondered sardonically) in question looked up to him, not bothering to smooth out her scowl. "I'm looking to visit a one Petunia Dursley," Severus continued smoothly. "I was told by your superiors that she would be here."

The woman spoke in a voice so deep, Snape sounded like a little school girl, "Do you have I.D and a signed visitation slip?" she asked, seeming annoyed that someone had dared to force her to actually do her job.

"Of course," replied Severus. He reached for his wand in his pocket and conjured a slip, while pulling out his fake I.D. "Right here madam." He put the respective papers in front of the woman for inspection. Certainly he could have just the Imperious or a Confundus charm on her, but that was something Albus would do. And Severus would stay as far away as possible from that man's ideas and methods.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order," said the woman, and she stood up and led Snape to the gated visitation section. It seemed to be completely empty today. There were five small chairs with partition between each one. A telephone placed on each partition. There was a barricade of thick glass between the section of the visitor and the prisoner.

 _What a pity,_ thought Severus dryly. _I so wanted to hex Petunia into next millennium._ Snape had just sat down in the center seat when the door on the prisoner side of the room was opened and in came Petunia, a female policewoman who meant business dragging her in. The woman placed Petunia in the seat opposite Snape. When Petunia saw his face, a look of pure horror appeared on her own. Severus would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the look that was caused by his presence.

"You have fifteen minutes, no more." With that the woman exited the room leaving only him and Petunia. Snape picked up the telephone on her side of the room and signaled Petunia to do the same. Reluctantly, she did.

"Hello, Petunia. It has been a while, hasn't it?" Snape drawled, his words cut out to make her more uncomfortable.

"What are you doing here, freak?" A disgusted look took over her facial features. _She hasn't lost her touch in prison. Good for her._

"Oh, nothing much just had a few question regarding your niece…" said Severus. He paused. "You remember… the one you, your whale of a husband, and that fat pig you call a son abused," he finished, still maintaining the appearance of calm. Petunia said nothing; he lips tightened into a thin line and her face became pinched. "Am I jogging any memories?" asked Severus mockingly. "No? Well how about this then." Then suddenly losing control of his emotions, he nearly snarled, "She was Lily's daughter, you horrid woman! All that was left of your- only- SISTER! Little Georgiana— and you HURT HER." Severus was breathing hard by the end of this speech. He hadn't raised his voice, but the force of is whisper had caused Petunia to push herself back against her hard plastic chair in what seemed to be fear. However, she recovered quickly as her mouth set and her eyes hardened.

"She deserved it," Petunia said furiously, "the little freak that she is. Vernon and I did exactly what we should have done," she asserted, glaring at him. "We gave her a place to live, clothes on her back, and food. We even tried to stamp out that freakishness out of her, so she could be NORMAL, but it's a part of her. Just like it was that horrible part of Lily," she told him bitterly. "It's what got them blown up, and us landed with her!"

Severus was absolutely raging inside, "You have some gall Petunia, saying things like that when you know what I am," he said dangerously. "How I could make your life more miserable for you. Don't you dare speak of Lily and Georgiana that way. You didn't deserve Lily's kindness or love. We both know you were a jealous little brat who couldn't accept that her sister was different, perhaps even a little better than her. So, you took all that anger and resentment out on her poor, innocent daughter who did absolutely nothing to you." His words were menacing with hatred dripping down them. "Now you are going to answer my questions or suffer my wrath."

Petunia crossed her arms and scowled at him. _Perfect._ "Who was the person who revoked your claim and guardianship over Georgiana?"

Petunia bit out her answer, "A woman named Sophia Young came, saying she was the brat's caseworker."

"Who was the man who saved her?" Severus fired again.

"You mean the man that was breaking and entering into my home. His name is Tony Stark, very well known in the muggle world. Your… lot wouldn't know him," she rolled her eyes angrily, "he's huge in the technological world."

"Last question and I will be out of your life forever," he assured her smoothly. Petunia let out a little sigh of relief. "Who has custody over her now?" This it it, he thought, if she doesn't know I'll be back to square one…

"I expect the same man," she told him. "For all I know, he'll use her as some sort of publicity stunt. That's all I know, now get out," she spat at him.

"Please, it's not as if I want to spend any extended time in your presence. And don't breathe a word to anyone about my being here or visiting you, or else the consequences will be dire. Goodbye, Petunia." He forcefully put the phone back in it's place. Resisting, the urge to curse Petunia on his way out, Severus stalked out of the prison, Obliviating the guard on the way out so if Albus came down the same way nothing would tie Severus to the location.

 _Petunia gave good information_ — _possibly the only good thing she's ever done,_ mused Severus. _Before I got to see this, Tony Stark, I will have to visit Ms. Young to confirm some things._ He nodded to himself, then Disapperated from a deserted alley, to the Child Protective Service Office of England.

* * *

 **Snape's POV; Child Protective Service Office:**

Snape was getting impatient. He had been waiting in the front room for half an hour for Ms. Young to show up— he asked the front desk if she was there, but as she was with one of her clients at the moment, he was told he would have to wait. _Don't they understand a little girl's health and well-being are at stake here?_ Severus fumed. Suddenly he heard footsteps, and looked up to see a youngish woman making her way toward him.

"Hello, Mr…." She looked down to the sticky note in her hand. "Snape. I'm Sophia Young. I am so sorry for the wait, I have been absolutely knackered with work," she explained.

Severus bit his tongue to hold his scathing remark. "It's fine," he said briskly. "Is there somewhere private we can speak? I have very sensitive information regarding one of your charges."

Ms. Young looked a little take aback at that but kept her composure. "May I ask which charge."

In voice quiet enough for only her to hear Severus disclosed the name, "Georgiana Lily Potter."

Ms. Young's eyes became as wide as saucers, "Alright let's go to one of the vacant conference rooms. Anything you want to say in respect to her can be said there." She led Severus to the back of the office, into one of the aforementioned conference rooms. She motioned for him to enter first and then shut the door behind her. Snape wandlessly and nonverbally cast the Muffliato charm in case of curious ears.

They both sat down on opposite sides of the table. Sophia broke the silence, "Mr. Snape, I must say I am quite surprised that you came with information regarding Georgiana. Whilst looking into her file and trying to find some other relation for her to stay with, I came up with more than quite a few ends in reference to her history and family. If you don't mind me asking what is your connection to her?"

"Ms. Young, I am an old friend of Georgiana's mother," Severus told her, giving the briefest explanation he could that would satisfy her curiosity. "However, it is not for that reason that I came. I am here with a warning."

"Really?" asked Sophia, intrigued and worried. "Well, maybe we can help each other. You could fill in some gaps for me and I could heed your warning, hmm?"

"We shall see to that in a moment. First, can you tell me who has guardianship over Georgiana now?"

"Unfortunately, Mr. Snape, I cannot disclose that information to you." She said in an apologetic manner. _Lucky I already know then,_ thought Severus smugly. _But it was good to know she wouldn't give information to perfect strangers._

"That's quite alright," he said, giving no indication of the thoughts that had just passed through his head, "but someone does have legal guardianship over her correct?"

"Yes, in fact she in the process of adoption. You don't have to worry the mother and father, they are financially stable people who care very much for her. In fact, she should be officially adopted in the upcoming week." She reassured him. Severus let of out an internal sigh of relief.

"Yes, that is comforting. However, that is where my warning comes in." Severus leaned back in his chair. "There is a man coming after Georgiana, thinking he has her best interests at heart. He is the one that put her in the Dursleys care in the first place," he told her. "He is a very powerful man believe it or not, and he will do nearly anything to get Georgiana back. If I tell you anymore on the topic you and I will be in grave danger."

"Alright," Ms. Young said very slowly. "So, what would you like me to do about that?" she asked, not seeming to know quite what to do with what he had just told her.

"Get Georgiana under the legal care of the people you told me about, that planned on adopting her," Severus answered firmly. "If she is legally under them, then he can't get to her."

"Who is this man and how do you know all this?" Sophia questioned him.

"The man's name is Albus Dumbledore," revealed Severus. "As for how I came by this information…" he hesitated, then decided that truth in this instance was better. "He enlisted me and someone else to find her and bring her to him," he finally said.

Ms. Young's eyes widened further than ever before, and her eyebrows started to reach exponential heights. She stuttered a bit for a while. _This is slightly annoying._

"You aren't going after her, are you?" She finally broke out.

"No, why would I come here if that were the case?" He said quite miffed. _Idiot girl._

"Good, otherwise I would have to call security," she said shakily. _As if they could possibly do anything against me._ "Alright, I will get the adopting parents the papers tonight as to avoid this situation… I'll tell them it was an anonymous tip. Would that work?" She asked hopefully.

"It should," Severus got up from the chair, making his way towards the exit, and opening the door.

"Wait," Sophia exclaimed from her seat. "I have questions. Why does he want Georgiana? What gives this Albus Dumbledore any power to get Georgiana in the first place?"

"He has power beyond your purview, Ms. Young. And if you want to remain in full body and mind, and not dead," he added sardonically, "I would recommend not digging around in this matter more than necessary."

Sophia sat back in her seat in astonishment at the warning. "I'll get the adoption papers running," she concluded.

Snape bowed his head a bit. "Well, this has been a productive meeting. Thank you Ms. Young, goodbye. And if you know what's good for you I wouldn't mention my name or breathe a word of this meeting to anyone else sans the adoptive parents." After bidding her adieu he quickly left the building.

 _One last stop and this problem will be behind me for four more years._ With that Snape Apparated to the hotel where the Tony Stark was staying, with little Georgiana.

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 **A/N: Ok, that was quite a bit. Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, I still can't believe the reaction I got to this story! I am just really, really grateful. I hope this next chapter is to your liking. Here's chapter 10. Enjoy! All my thanks and appreciation to TheLostPevensie for making this an intelligible story. Oh, and I'm going to start answering some questions I've been getting.**

 **Anime Princess: Maybe…. just going to have to wait and see.**

 **often reading: Snape found the Starks because of the tabloids and other media saying Tony's in London. He will explain it in the next chapter.**

 **thewhitedragon1993: This story is taking place before the events of the Avengers and before the events of Iron Man 2.**

* * *

 **Tony's POV:**

The next day found Tony, Pepper, and Georgie at the breakfast table in the hotel, eating a breakfast that was NOT made by the six year old. It was belgian waffle Sunday, according to Tony. Mostly because he was craving Belgian Waffles. He protested to Pepper and Georgie that it was really because of the fact that Georgie had never had them before, but the two women in his life saw right through him.

"Okay, so what color do you want to paint your room in Malibu?" Tony asked Georgie, dousing his waffles in maple and strawberry syrup. Pepper rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Umm… I don't know," Georgie mused, putting on what Tony liked to call 'that adorable thinky face' in his head. "I like the idea of red," she thought out loud. Tony smirked at Pepper hearing this. "Not like bright red but more of a rusty color… " Then it was Pepper's turn to smirk. "Or maybe blue? Light blue, like the sky." Both of the adults then went a bit slack jawed. _Neither of us put money on blue, does that mean neither win or both?_

Pepper shook herself out of it and said in her most motherly voice, "Whatever you choose, I am positive it's going to turn out great."

Georgie smiled and went back to eating her waffles. It was then Tony's Stark phone started beeping, bearing a message from Sophia.

"Hey, Pep. Ms. Caseworker is texting me… says it's urgent." Tony said, looking up from his phone to meet Pepper's eyes.

"Ms. Caseworker?" She looked on in confusion, then realization hit. "Oh you mean, Sophia. Hmm, I wonder why, we already completed the home inspection so we're good to go on that. Message her back and see what's the matter."

"She's saying she's on her way up," Tony told her, confused and a little worried.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Georgie's usually smooth, silky normal voice turned small and frightened. "Is Miss Sophia going to take me away?"

Pepper got out of her seat and enveloped Georgie in a hug, "No honey, no! Nothing like that's going to happen." Georgie buried her face in Pepper's neck.

"Not if she wants to keep her job," Tony muttered darkly, to an admonishing "Tony!" From Pepper.

He put his hands up in surrender, "Hey it's not like you wouldn't do the same thing," he pointed out. Pepper decided to not acknowledge his comment. It was then that there was a knock on the door of the hotel suite.

Tony went to door, "Well, that must be her. Let's see if she leaves with her job." Pepper threw a spoon from the table at Tony, with surprising aim hitting his right shoulder. The surprise made him bark out a laugh, and he took the last steps to the door a little more cheerful. Upon opening the door… Sophia was a sight to see. Hair beyond messy, clothes in an uncharacteristic disarray, handbag slung haphazardly over her shoulder, and arms filled with papers clutched to her chest.

"Hello, Mr. Stark," she huffed slightly. "I would have come last night but the paperwork, ugh, the paperwork! It was a bloody nightmare! MY nightmare!"

Pepper came up behind Tony and opened the door wider, allowing Sophia to come in. "Come in Sophia and tell us what this all about." Taking the invitation, the caseworker walked through the doorway and collapsed in the couch— handbag, papers, and all.

"I'm sorry for my lack of decorum," She said rearranging herself, and straightening out the papers. "but, I think you will forgive my early intrusion when you learn of my reason for being here."

Georgiana had come over from her place at the breakfast table, standing between Tony and Pepper. Sophia seeing this started to smile through her exhaustion. She had definitely made the right choice. "Georgiana, I have some really good news for you," she said to the girl.

"Really? What?" asked Georgiana innocently. Even Pepper and Tony were curious as to what the meaning of all this was.

"The papers that I have with me, right now," Sophia explained happily. "these… are your adoption papers."

"What?!" exclaimed Pepper and Tony together. "You told us," continued Pepper suspiciously, "that we couldn't adopt her until the very least the end of the month.

"Well...umm…" Sophia adopted a very uneasy look. "There was some information imparted on me that…. sped up the process," she admitted.

"What information," Pepper questioned in her serious, (listen-to=me-Mr.-board- member-I'm-the-CEO-here voice). Sophia darted a look at Georgiana, sending the adults a silent message that she shouldn't be in the room for this. _A-ha,_ realized Tony… _she's got info. Finally._

Pepper, who'd also seen the look, thankfully took the fall. "Georgiana, honey, how about you go watch TV in your room for a few minutes while we talk to Ms. Young?" Georgiana slowly nodded her consent, but before she departed she sent Tony a look that clearly said 'You will tell me'. _Damn!_ cursed Tony. _I got to get her IQ checked at some point, she is way too smart for her age._

Sophia took a deep breathe and launched into her story, "Yesterday I got a tip, from a Mr- err, that is to say, from an anonymous source." _Ok 'anonymous' is definitely a guy. Great job keeping that secret._ " Based on the information in this tip, there is someone named Albus Dumbledore-"

"Dumbledore! Albus...Dumbledore!" Tony guffawed at the name. Then realizing that both women were giving him the 'death glare' he stopped. "Sorry, continue."

After that little interjection Sophia aimed her words more at Pepper, "As I was saying, this man, he was the one that placed Georgiana with her relatives." Tony quickly got past the inital humorat the ridiculous name and adopted a much more violent attitude towards this... Dumbledore. "He also," continued Sophia hesitantly, :wants to regain custody of her."

"THAT IS NOT HAPPENING!" both Pepper and Tony shouted simultaneously. Years and years in each other presence has them nearly on the same brainwave sometimes, and especially now, where Georgie was concerned.

"Yes, I know, don't worry," Sophia hastened to explain. "If you'll wait a moment this is actually a good thing," she told the couple. "Thanks to the immediate danger, the threat constitutes immediate transferral of guardianship from the courts of the UK to actual acting parentals."

"But does that stop this man?" Pepper questioned anxiously.

"My source said Dumbledore won't be able to get to Georgiana if her legal guardianship is under someone else," Sophia confirmed.

"Oh thank God!" Pepper slouched into one of the single seats. Sophia started ruffling through the papers withdrawing one in particular and unearthed a pen from her handbag. She set the two down on the table.

"You can adopt her right now. Just sign these papers and once I file them it will be official." Sophia had the largest smile possible on her face. Pepper and Tony both made a dive for the pen. Tony got to it first, given he was still standing throughout the entire thing. Pepper grabbed his hand.

"Wait! Let's bring Georgiana back," Pepper demanded. "I want her to be here for this."

"Of course! I am such an idiot!" He put down the pen and went to Georgie's room to go and get her for the momentous occasion. As soon as Tony was out of sight, Pepper made a grab for the pen. She quickly scanned the document for any hidden conditions, her CEO and personal assistant instincts kicking in. As soon as that was done she signed her name on the dotted line, initialed herself on a few other places, and BAM! Virginia 'Pepper' Potts was officially Georgiana Lily Potter-Stark's mother. Just in time too because Tony just entered the room with Georgie in his arms. Upon seeing her Pepper rushed to Georgiana, taking her in her own arms.

"Guess what Giana?" Pepper said in a super excited voice that was quite atypical for the normally-unshakeable businesswoman.

"Giana?" Tony questioned. _Pfft, Giana. Georgie is much cooler._

"Yeah," shot back Pepper, "you got 'Georgie', so I got 'Giana.' But that's not the point," She shook her head and turned to Georgie. "I am now, officially, your Mommy!"

"WHAT!" Tony and Georgie practically shouted for the entire hotel to hear. Tony more in acute betrayal and Georgie in excitement. _Girl, did not!_ He then all but ran to the adoption contract. Sure enough, Pepper had signed her name nearly everywhere. Accepting that she had won this round, Tony signed and initialed all the other blanks Pepper left for him. Setting the pen down, he handed both back to Sophia with a smile. _She's not so bad, I guess._

"Georgie, guess who is now your official Daddy?" Tony asked in a poor imitation of Pepper.

"Hmm… I don't know," She said mockingly, tapping her finger to her chin. "Is it a superhero named Iron Man."

He strode over to his two favorite women in the world, "Nah, just a mechanic named Tony." He planted a little kiss on Georgie's cheek. She giggled like a wind chime. _I don't know what this girl's done to me, but I love it and I am NEVER going back._

Sophia started to gather her things and make her way to the door. "I'm just going to let myself out. I'll have this filled within the next half hour."

"Alright. Thank you," And as an afterthought… "Sophia."

She turned and smile, "You're most welcome… Tony. Goodbye Pepper, Georgiana."

Pepper and Georgie gave a resounding, "BYE!" Sophia gave one last laugh and wave and left.

Turning to his now official family, "Well, I guess we can leave for Malibu today-" Tony was cut off by another knock at the door. He aimed his question at Pepper, "Are you expecting anyone?"

"No." She replied with a puzzled look on her face.

Tony shrugged his shoulders and went to go get the door. He was greeted with the sight of a man with a hooked nose, pitch black dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and onyx eyes. He was dressed like a college professor, and Tony had no idea who he was or what he was doing at their door.

"Hello, Mr. Stark. My name is Severus Snape. I am here to speak with you on a pressing matter regarding a certain Georgian Lily Potter."

* * *

 **A/N: Thoughts?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks a bunches everyone for reading. Oh and as a side note, I'm sorry for the excessive repeatedness but it is just a bit necessary for all the character to get caught up. Also, sorry for the long break in updates. Here's 11, Enjoy!**

 **crazy dragon ninja: Thanks for the compliment and yeah I'm trying to make my chapters longer without putting useless things in just for the sake of making it longer. It's harder than I originally thought. But, I really appreciate the constructive criticism thanks.**

 **Golden Bearded Dragon: I'm glad you like the story, yeah and I'm trying to fix the problem of repeatedness.**

* * *

 **Snape's POV:**

Tracking down Tony Stark was much easier than Snape had initially thought. _How could it be hard when the man's face and name is plastered on every tabloid in the vicinity._ The fact there are also a lot of cosplay girls in front of one particular hotel helped a lot. How Snape knew what a cosplay girl was, is a bit of mystery that occlumency hid astonishingly well. _Thank God, that the media hasn't caught wind of Georgiana yet or else Dumbledore would have no trouble in taking her._

Severus had just walked into London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, and took a seat in the lavish lobby. It was now 9:00pm. He had left Ms. Young's office an hour ago, he was now waiting for her to come in and get the necessary paperwork to be done. He decided that he would talk to the happy couple, tell them their soon to be daughter was destined to stop an evil so psychotic murderer or be killed herself, AFTER they formally adopted her _. I am a Slytherin after all._

4 hours later…

Snape sat in the same seat he took a hours ago. It was now 12:00am, having waited and waited but Ms. Young did not show. This didn't go unnoticed by the concierge at the desk, she started walking towards Severus.

"Excuse me, Sir. I've noticed you have been here for quite a while. Are you waiting for someone or perhaps a room... " She had dark hair tied up in a bun, her face framed by side fringe. A thin, narrow face, perfect straight nose, and startling blue eyes. Despite what his students thought Snape wasn't a bat, he was a man. _She's not terrible to look at._

"Yes, I was waiting for someone. Unfortunately, some don't have the common curtesy to be punctual when needed." He got up dusting his trousers, straightening his posture that was resemblant to the intimidating one he shows his students. "Regardless, it seems that I require a room. Could you please arrange one."

"Of course, Mr...:"

"Snape."

"Yes, Mr. Snape. I would love to do that however getting a room at the Mandarin and at this hour a room will not come easy."

"Money's no object." Snape said dismissively. _Not when Albus Dumbledore is paying._

"Alright if you would just follow me to the front desk." She led him to the desk, and starting filling in the necessary paperwork. "The only room we have available is the presidential suite."

"Book it. Oh and I am sorry I didn't catch your name. No nametag." He pointed to the uniform devoid of any identification.

"Hill."

"That is hardly an original enough name, to relocate."

"Maria Hill." But this time there was a bit of hiccup in the way she said in her name. A slip in the way she spoke almost like she wasn't British. _It's a guise. But I can't use magic on her now._

"Here is your room key, Sir."

"Thank you." Nodding his head in acknowledgment, taking the key, and walked to the elevator. If he was wearing his robes they would most definitely be billowing in his wake.

* * *

 **Maria Hill's POV:**

"Sir, I found another energy signatures. Why is Stark in a place where there are not one but two signatures that are similar to the one in New Mexico?"

"I don't know yet. But keep your head down, and maintain your cover. I'll send in Romanoff if anything escalates."

"Sir, I am entirely capable of-"

"I know Hill but I want you and Coulson heading the helicarrier operation."

"Yes, Sir. Anything else?"

"Back to work Agent Hill." With that the private line that Maria sent up inside the hotel went dead. Back to work. _Hope Stark hasn't done anything too stupid yet._

* * *

 **Snape's POV:**

Severus had just walked into his temporary living quarters, surveying the room he found it adequate. It was now 1:30 in the morning. Late enough that most wildlife would be asleep, however the late night hour didn't best those ever nocturnal owls. A large brown owl hooted at the window, in it's beak was a small basket. Severus opened the window, at this late hour who would…

The owl flew in dropping the basket and flew right back out at an impeccable speed. To Severus' surprise a grey cat, with black cat markings jumped out of the basket. It wasn't the cat itself that surprised him but the arrival of the particular cat was cause for some perplexity. A few seconds after stretching the cat took shape of a woman. A woman in a long emerald green dress, with rounded glasses, and grey hair rucked in a tight bun atop her head.

"I expected an owl, one with a message, not the supposed writer of said message," Snape took a seat on the elegant couch, indicating Minerva to do the same.

"Well ordinarily yes, however when a manipulating old fool is hot on our heels of finding a certain girl who lived... one has a permission to forgo decorum and propriety."

"What?!" Severus' momentary nonchalance didn't last and he snapped up straight in his seat.

"He contacted me yesterday that he will be journeying to London by tomorrow afternoon, once Cornelius is through pestering him."

"Why is it that all those with significant power in our world are complete imbeciles."

"I would tell you if I knew." Both fell into a moment of silence before Snape broke it.

"It doesn't matter, Georgina's custody will be done by the morning and after that I will tell the happy couple all that is needed to know and be done with it. For at least four years at least." Putting his arms on his knees and face in his hands, the past days exhaustion seeping out of him.

"So, you approve of her guardian's?" Minerva definitely held curiosity and concern in this particular topic, but she was interested in what Severus thought.

"It doesn't matter, as long as they are reasonable, caring people. We don't have much choice and in reality no time to find a suitable match. And even if we tried we couldn't place her with a wizarding family she well deserves given Albus would find her in a split second."

"Yes, that is true. Where is she now?"

"A floor or two above us. I plan to speak with them once I am positive the papers have been signed."

"Well Severus, I may no longer be your teacher, and the praise may mean nothing now… But, well done. I don't believe anyone else could have possibly done better."

"Thank you Minerva. Oh and I think it would be prudent you remain here, there is an extra bedroom. If Albus decides to show I will need your assistance."

"Certainly Severus. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Severus however had no designs of sleeping. The rest of the short night was spent in deep thought of what would transpire the next day, when he would drop the 'magic' bomb on the Starks. _Well, time to meet the family of celebrities. Let's hope I don't die from ego. Oh, wait I would have already, I had the displeasure of the blasted Marauders._

* * *

 **9 hours later No One's POV:**

 **Previously:** _Turning to his now official family, "Well, I guess we can leave for Malibu today-" Tony was cut off by a ring at the door. He aimed his question at Pepper, "Are you expecting anyone."_

 _"No."_

 _Tony shrugged his shoulders and went to go get the door. Opening the door, Tony was greeted with the sight of a man. A man with a hooked nose, pitch black dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, onyx eyes. Dressed in an attire of a rugged-professor-looking person._

 _"Hello, Mr. Stark. My name is Severus Snape. I am here to speak with you on a pressing matter regarding a certain Georgian Lily Potter."_

"You have got to be freakin' kidding me!" At Tony's exclamation Pepper admonished him from behind for the language. Ignoring her he stared down the weirdo. The weirdo not even flinching beneath his heated gaze, simply rivaling it with quiet defiance. Pepper came up behind Tony with Georgiana in her arms. Upon seeing Georgie, the man looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Lily." Snape whispered barely loud enough to hear.. Alarms started ringing in Tony's head. _Okay he definitely knows her. Who is this guy._

"Forgive me," The guy slightly shook his head as if he was buffering. He schooled his features into the indifferent mask he had held moments before. "The resemblance between Georgiana and Lily is simply startling."

Pepper interjected and questioned in a pointed and authoritative tone, "You knew her mother?"

"And her unfortunately her father. Yes I knew Lily, she was my best friend nearly all my life."

" _Was_?" Tony probed.

"We had a bit of a falling out." Snape ended in a voice that didn't offer further elaboration on the subject.

"Why don't you come in," Pepper moved aside to let the stranger in. Tony made expressions and signals saying 'no this is a bad idea.' She ignored them. "I have some questions I would like to ask you."

"Of course," Snape amended. "You may ask as many questions of me as you like but only after I inform you of some vital information." He strode to the sitting area without invitation. The newly formed family followed suit, Tony muttering a few less than pleasant things. The three of them sat on the sofa, Georgie tightly squished in between Pepper and Tony. Snape sat opposite them, with perfect posture and a very tense demeanor.

Snape zeroed in on Georgie, his expression softening slightly at the sight of the child, "Tell me Miss Georgiana, have you ever made odd things happen when you were sad or angry?"

A single thought coursed through Tony and Pepper's minds, _What the hell!_

Pepper voiced her opinion in a much politer manner, "Excuse me."

He motioned her to wait a minute and then indicated towards. She hadn't said a word since Snape's arrival. She hesitated to answer, but ultimately did in a small voice, "I think I turned my primary school teacher's hair blue once. I didn't really know what happened but I was blamed for it." She didn't stop there. "Oh and there was one time Dudley and his friends were chasing me and somehow I ended up on the roof of the school. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon weren't happy about that."

Her voice had steadily risen in volume and by the end of her little revelation Tony and Pepper were at lost of what to say or do. But that didn't deter Pepper for asking, "What does that even mean?" She turned to Severus for an explanation regarding the weird answer her daughter came up with in response to the equally odd question.

"You, Georgiana Lily Potter are a witch." Silence ensued at the statement, but broken by

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Snape couldn't help but smirk at the comment. Tony was brought out of his reverie.

"Georgie that is the least of problems with that sentence." Tony exclaimed.

Severus leaned back on the couch and crossed his legs, "Well not witch in the warty, old hag with green skin, and pointy hat. A witch simply being a woman who can use magic."

"MAGIC?" The Starks exclaimed.

"Yes, magic. No need for the entire hotel to find out about something we have kept secret for centuries."

"How is that even possible? Science has proved time and time again-" Tony tried to rationalize.

"Many have tried, Mr. Stark. But magic cannot be explained by your precious science." _The little..._

Pepper took charge of the conversation before the two men said things in front of Giana that couldn't be taken back. "If what you are saying is even remotely true how can you prove it."

Snape stood up, "That is a simple thing to prove."

The man pulled out a stick out of his jacket pocket. Three jets of light shot out. The result was Tony's formerly black Black Sabbath shirt turned a startling pink, Pepper's heels turned into fuzzy bunny slippers, and an actual lily appeared in Georgie's auburn locks from seemingly thin air.

Pepper's mouth was opening and closing of it's own accord without any words coming out. Georgiana was just in complete awe.

"Can I do all that?" She asked in unmasked excitement.

The foremost authority of magic in the room responded, "In due time with a lot of instruction, and studying. Once you are older and have a better control on your magic you will be able to."

"Ok Harry Houdini, I have a question. How did she get magic." Tony said not happy with his lack of information.

"That is where our story begins. And I ask that no one ask any questions till the absolute end, we have already wasted enough precious time. The sooner I tell you the better," Tony was about to protest before Pepper smacked him on the back of the head. "Anyway, magic is usually inherent. Lily Evans was a muggleborn. Muggle is a term we in the wizarding world use to describe those without magic. A muggleborn is a person who has magic but does not have magical parents. Lily was one of these." Pepper was about to ask a question but before she could a pen and paper appeared in her hand.

"Just write your questions and I will answer them at the end," Pepper nodded and began penning some questions down, Georgie and Tony looked at each other and shook their heads.

"As I was saying Georgiana's father was the complete opposite. James Potter," Snape bit the name out, looking as if it actually left a bad taste in his mouth. "was what we would call a pureblood. Someone from a long line of magic on both sides of the family. Your world has prejudices based on race, our prejudices are more based in the purity of one's blood. In recent years people have become more accepting, but there are still those pureblood supremacist. There was one in particular who did some great damage a less than a decade ago. There was a man named Tom Riddle, later called Voldemort. The magic community refers to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, for the fear of him ran that great that no one would say his name. He was such pure-blood supremacist, he spread ideas about cleansing the line, but really he was just mad with bloodlust, power, and rage. He killed off anyone he deemed not fit to hold magic. He and his forces, the Death Eaters, killed many muggles, muggleborns, half-bloods. Either you joined him or you were killed."

"Fortunately this 'civil war' was not one sided. There was a lightside that was dedicated to stopping him and his forces. Georgiana's parents were very involved and dedicated to that cause. It was a blood bath, the leader of the light-side was Albus Dumbledore-"

Tony had to pause the story telling for a moment, "Wait the same Dumbledork trying to get to Georgie?"

Pepper also stopped her pen that had been rapidly scribbling across the paper, "You're the one. You were the 'anonymous tip'."

"Guilty as charged, however all will be answered, if you two would have some patience. I must say the child is behaving better than you two." The girl in questioned blushed so her face was a complimenting shade to her hair. "As I was saying before being rudely interrupted. Dumbledore is a very powerful and influential man. He holds quite a few positions in political roles, and holds one of the biggest roles in the wizarding world. Headmaster of Hogwarts-"

"I'm sorry Hogwarts?" Tony absolutely guffawed at this and Pepper couldn't help but smile a little. Severus gave one of his signature glares and Tony was effectively silenced. Severus continued as if nothing has happened.

"Hogwarts is the best magic school in the Europe, if not the world. A centuries old school, one where Georgiana's parents attended, as did I. I presently teach at the school. Returning to the subject of Dumbledore, during the last months of the battle, a prophecy was made. One saying that as the seventh month dies, July's end, a child will be born to a couple who has thrice defied Voldemort himself, that child will have the power to vanquish him. That prophecy applied to two couples and their child. The Potters unfortunately were one of those families, and upon hearing the prophecy Voldemort went after the Potters. Dumbledore put them in hiding. Unfortunately, Voldemort eventually found them he killed James and, and uh- Li-Lily. However when he turned his wand on Georgiana, to kill her, the spell rebounded and killed him. Sad part is he isn't actually dead. He escaped, bidding his time now as of presently he is too weak to carry on. However he will come back. And when he comes back, he's coming for Georgiana. First and foremost her."

It was beyond pindrop silence. Even Tony couldn't find himself to make a witty remark. Pepper however wasn't having any of it. She went into business mode, pulling out her pad full of questions.

"How do we stop that. How do we stop him. I have a feeling this man won't take a bribe and walk away."

"You are correct in your assumption Ms. Potts. This is why Albus Dumbledore, despite his many faults is useful. Where as you and I have no means to stop Voldemort, Dumbledore does. He knows Riddle, knows how to stop him however, he has been playing the game too long. He is more the chess player with the 'means to an end' mentality. He was the one who placed Georgiana with Petunia in the first place, saying there is no better protection for her then there. That's why I and a colleague of mine stepped into the search to find Georgiana, as to keep her away from him a little while longer."

Tony finally stepped in, "Why would Georgie ever have to be in the same vicinity of him? As I see it, I'm keeping her as far away as possible from you loons."

"Mr. Stark, Georgiana is famous for being the Girl-Who-Lived in our world. She is destined to be the savior, no way around it. Nothing will happen as of now but when she is eleven she will be expected at Hogwarts. Voldemort will come after her no matter where you take her. She has to be prepared for when he does. At least in Hogwarts she will have protection, and the means and tools with which she can beat him."

Tony put his head in his hands and Pepper through the pen and paper onto the coffee table, more pressing questions answered and the rest now insignificant.

"I'll do it."

All the adults of the room turned to the little girl shock written on each one of their faces.

"I'll train, go to Hogwarts, and beat Tom Riddle. He killed my parents, and a lot of other people. I want to make things right."

"Well said my girl." The occupants of the room to see and old man in a blue robe and a long silver beard, accompanied by a furious looking elderly woman in a long green robe. "Well said."

* * *

 **A/N: Read and review please! Would love to know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I am dearly sorry for the wait but I had familial stuff going on, but don't fret I have absolutely no intention of abandoning this story until I am done. One of my favorite things to do is read the reviews to my story and I must say I appreciate every piece of feedback, a few of them literally had me on the floor laughing! Thank you all so much, hope you love this chapter as much as the last. Thanks to my amazing beta TheLostPevensie for all the edits. Without further adieu I present to you chapter 12! Enjoy!

Again, I own absolutely nothing.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall's POV:

Minerva was under a Disillusionment spell outside the Stark's door, Severus currently within explaining what the poor couple had unknowingly signed up for. She put up a Muffliato spell at Severus' request, but sadly due to her inability to eavesdrop she now was quite bored. But, she reflected, that was hardly a concern in the present situation.

Thankfully Severus has this under control, she thought. I was quite lost in the muggle world, looking for her. All the better, I suppose, she decided; if I was having trouble that means so would Albus. He sticks out like a sore thumb anywhere.

Over the years, Severus gained Minerva's trust. It was true enough that while he was her student she was a bit skeptical of his intentions, morals, and loyalties. He didn't exactly make it a secret that he despised her house, and its occupants. When he became part of the first Order of Phoenix, she thought Dumbledore had actually fallen few feet away from his rocker, but she quickly realized it was not a thoughtless decision. Severus was the most diligent man in that organization, that did everything in his power to bring down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But it wasn't until a moment of mutual weakness and despair that Minerva understood Severus' struggle.

* * *

Flashback…

It was damp dark evening in London, and it was fitting that the weather be as dismal as the tragic events that transpired that night. Twas the night two of her favorite students passed, it was the night another turned traitor, and the last fell into obscurity. It was also the night that an innocent child was orphaned. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named may be gone, for now, but the devastation he wreaked was evident in every aspect of life for the occupants of the Wizarding and some of the Muggle world. However Minerva didn't yet know any of this as she made her way to headquarters.

It was roughly 2:00 a.m., thunder and lightning crashed overhead as Minerva entered the headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix, still peacefully unaware of the tragedy that had befallen that night. The headquarter was a townhouse in the heart of London that Dumbledore bought purely for the given purpose. She removed her outer coat and cast a quick drying charm before continuing through the house.

"Hello," she called down hallways and into empty rooms. "Hello!" Though it was apparent that no one was in the house, not surprising as it was 2 AM (and yet she still found herself unsettled), just to be sure Minerva cast a quick Homenum Revelio—l it returned with the response of one other person in the house. Headquarters was under the Fidelius Charm, with Dumbledore as its secret keeper, so this person was definitely trusted by Albus, but it didn't stop Minerva from being on her guard. She took careful steps down the foyer into the hall. The hall was lined with quite a few doors, leading to different bedrooms, studies, and closets. When Dumbledore bought the house he wanted to make sure there was never a shortage of space of any kind. Minerva crept to the first door she knew to be a bedroom, she approached and started to open the door. And behind door number one was…..(cue drumroll)...was absolutely nothing. Same happened through doors 2 through 7, not to mention there were four floors to the house and each level housed 7-8 different kind of rooms. It was all thanks to Undetectable Extension charms, of course, and usually Minerva was grateful for it… but the thought of searching the entire house was a daunting one.

There was one room left on the first floor and it was the kitchen; nearly no one went in there but Molly Weasley and Marlene McKinnon as they were the main cooks for the order and would force everyone else out. Well Molly is definitely not here or else she would answer me at first and make a whole lot more noise. And Marley… Marley. Marlene McKinnon and the rest of the McKinnons were gone. A wave of sadness surged through Minerva. No, not now. Mentally righting herself she entered the kitchen and inside was a sight she never thought she would ever behold.

There on the floor, with a bottle of Firewhiskey was Severus Snape. The young man of only 21 looked far beyond his years. His back against the wall, his legs spread out in front of him, and his head thrown back against the wall. Robes in a complete disarray. The nearly empty bottle still in his right hand. His hair was an unkempt poofy mess, opposite to his usual slicked back black locks. His onyx eyes were bloodshot with silent tears still streaming down his face.

In utter bafflement and shock her voice shook as she said, "Severus?"

Out of all the people in the Order, Severus was the one person she trusted the leastt— and Mundungus Fletcher was in the same Order, so that was saying something. Albus said Severus turned spy at great personal risk, but never gave a reason, even gave him the Potions Master's post after Slughorn retired. But none of that changed the fact that many, including Minerva, didn't trust him. Anyone who knew Snape at any point of his life could confirm that he was always fascinated with the Dark Arts, and it was not a secret either that he joined the Death Eater's ranks almost immediately after graduating. He tangled with the wrong sort and sacrificed the one good relationship he had with Lily Evans for the same reason. To hear that he came to Light side came as a huge surprise, but no one dared question Dumbledore's judgement. And for all these reasons and more Minerva McGonagall was at lost to what to do or say in the present situation. Snape was never one to show emotion so the sight in front of her was giving her tremendous pause.

Snape gave no acknowledgement of having heard Minerva or her presence. She slowly moved until she was directly in front of him.

"Severus. Severus!" She crouched down and shook his leg a little to try to gauge a reaction from him. Nothing. She then stood up and turned to the door to go contact Dumbledore.

"Dead." Was the bare whisper she heard. She whirled around towards Snape.

"Dead." He repeated. "Lifeless. Cold. Lily." He inhaled sharply having said her name. Fresh tears started to pour down his tortured face.

"What!" MInerva gasped and felt her aging knees give out. With nothing to hold herself up she crumpled down. She was now a few feet from Severus.

"He killed her." He puffed out in short strained breaths. "My lovely Lily dead. They're dead and it is all my fault."

Not being able to comprehend much at the moment Minerva latched on to whatever her brain could process and tried to explain it to herself. Finding no success, being beyond reason, she choked out in a harsh, commanding tone, "Explain."

Severus closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "Black betrayed them." He snarled. "The Dark Lord found the house, killed Potter and then he ki-ki-killed Li-Lily." Severus sobbed out her name. Minerva gasped again and felt a heart-wrenching pain in her chest.

"James and Lily? Gone? Sirius betrayed James and Lily?" She hopelessly asked. Severus simply looked at her in silent confirmation.

He continued waiting for no indication to elaborate, "I heard half of the prophecy and related what I heard to the Dark Lord not knowing the outcome of my actions or how seriously he would receive it. As soon as I learned of his plans I ran to Dumbledore and begged for help. In return, I turned spy for the Order. I did everything, everything to protect Lily and her child but it was all for naught."

At the end of his prompt speech more tears started to pool from his eyes and he drank the last of the Firewhiskey.

"I deserve to die."

Minerva's head snapped up to him, she got herself to her full height and stalked the small distance to Snape, she took his face in her hand forcing him to look at her.

"You DO NOT deserve to die, you atoned for your mistake. You did the right thing. Lily would never want you to die like that. Despite the rift between you two, she cared for you! Do not disgrace her memory in such a way. Do you understand?" Severus noded once. She let go of his face.

A thought suddenly struck her, "What of Georgiana?"

"The girl lives," Severus said slowly in labored breaths.

"What!?" Minerva clutched her heart in surprise and relief.

"I do not know how, but she seems to have… vanquished the Dark Lord," he said wonderingly. The only damage to her was a jagged scar on her forehead."

"What? How? Where is she now?" Minerva demanded.

"In Dumbledore's safe care I believe. As to 'how' I have not the slightest."

Silence took over the room. Each trying to process their own individual thoughts. But, it didn't take Minerva long to break it. She was impertinent like that.

"What about He-Who- oh bugger! What happened to Voldemort?" As her anxiety and tension escalated Minerva's Irish brogue became more evident.

Snape was taken aback at his professor. Not only had she displayed colorful language but she also used Voldemort's name, which never happened. In all that time he had known Minerva McGonagall, as his professor, as his colleague, he never saw her break the confinements of propriety and decorum. Seeing, her in such a way it was startling, bizarre even.

"The b****d disappeared out of existence. All that was left of him was a pile of black, scorched robes."

"What-," Minerva began in small breaths. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know about you Professor… but for as long as I live I will protect Georgiana. She is the only thing I have left to live for," he proclaimed with a level of gravitas that belied his intoxication.

"Severus, if you think you are alone in that mission… then I have not been a very good professor.," replied Minerva. Severus' face showed a lot of confusion. "I will also do everything to protect Georgiana. If you ever find that you are in need of someone to help you in that endeavor, know that I will be here for you."

Severus simply looked at Minerva, trying to gauge any alternative motives. Finding none. He just nodded.

Minerva started to head back towards the door to make her exit. Before she left, she turned once more to Severus. "I know you loved her, Severus. But, it may be a good idea to, in time, move on. You owe it to yourself and to her. Goodnight, Severus."

She donned her coat and exited the door. The sky had cleared, but in her heart Minerva knew it was just the end of the battle. Voldemort would return one day and when he does the real brutal war would begin.

End of Flashback….

* * *

Still Minerva's POV:

Over the last five years Minerva and Severus had reached an understanding. In a way they had an almost mother-son relationship but each treated the other with equal respect. If anything they always knew they could trust each other. So, when Dumbledore started making more and more questionable choices they started to trust him less and each other more. They knew he had good intentions, but that didn't rationalize his means. Albus placing Georgiana in the Dursleys' care was the last straw. They had no way of removing her without rousing Dumbledore's suspicion. The consequences would be too severe for Georgiana, without Snape and Minerva she would ultimately become another puppet of Dumbledore's.

When the search for Georgiana started Minerva wasted no time. It was decided amongst herself and Severus that her efforts would be more concentrated on distracting Dumbledore, while Snape who would do the actual searching. Dumbledore could probably be regarded as an oblivious fool, but was by means stupid. He was smart and cunning. Sometimes I think the hat should have placed him in Slytherin! It was inevitable he would find Georgiana despite her best efforts but that didn't mean she couldn't delay him.

She had placed false leads all over the place, leading him to America, Hong Kong, Austria. So, it was an absolute surprise when the very man she had currently believed to be in Recife, Brazil apparating right into the space in front of her.

"Well," Chuckled the offending man. "Minerva this a surprise. I had thought you to be in America tracking the whereabouts of the man having taken Georgiana. But, since you seem to be standing guard in front of this particular door, I take it you found our little friend?" The wizened old wizard said with a cryptic smile.

Minerva took down the Disillusionment charm and transformed back to a human. She had thrown up her Occlumency barriers at the first sight of Dumbledore. She could feel him trying to gently poke through her walls. Rotten old blighter… she scowled internally, working to strengthen her walls without letting him she was onto him.

"Yes we have... or should I say Severus has. He sent me a message to come here immediately. The same message was also dispatched to you but we hadn't received any type of communication in response." It was a very smooth lie on her part and Dumbledore seemed to believe it. He still thought Minerva to be his loyal lap dog. Oh, how very wrong he is!

"Well I would assume that Severus is inside solving the situation so we can take Georgiana to her new home." Dumbledore pushed a little harder on her mental barriers, looking for a hold in her defenses.

"New home? Where?" Where in the world would he put her? And on such short notice…

"I have decided to put her in a specially monitored orphanage in Scotland. That way she will be closer if anything happens." Albus said this in a way that made it seem like it was the obvious answer.

"An orphanage?! Dumbledore, you can't be serious! There are so many other options " The idiot!

He looked at her in an inquisitive manner, but she could see the steel behind his eyes and their grandfatherly twinkle. "None that would fit her particular needs," he said. "Are you questioning my judgement, Minerva?"

Minerva's blood started to boil, "Yes, Albus I am." Her face grew grimmer every second.

He merely chuckled, the hardened general retreating once more behind the genial facade. "We can discuss this later. Right now we have the pressing matter of relocating Georgiana and then a temporary memory charm."

Who the hell does he think he is do do that. The fool, the idiot, the *******, the-

"You can't to do it, Albus." Minerva exclaimed.

"No?"

"No, you cannot because by the time Severus and I reached Georgiana she had already been adopted." HA! She thought triumphantly.

"That cannot be possible, the adoption process takes… months, years even." Dumbledore's anxiousness started to show on his normally serene face. But she saw as he calmed down and started making new calculations to account for this variable— the chess master at work again with people's lives. "Well," he said, jovial once more, "there's nothing to be done about arrangements now. I might as well go inside meet the new family, I'm sure they'll have questions. And of course they need to be made aware of their responsibilities and Georgiana's future.." He started making his way towards the door.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. Severus is already inside explaining everything to them." Minerva had never been more thankful for Severus' existence in her entire life.

"Everything! That won't do. The information we disclose to them must be on the need to know basis." His bushy white eyebrows bunched together in irritation.

He doesn't cease to shock me today.

"Need to know? They deserve all the information we know. Georgiana is now their child, they deserve to know more than us." Minerva knew she should have been a little more blasé and casual about the situation but Albus was being quite ridiculous.

"Really, Minerva, I'm disappointed. Severus would have listened to you— why didn't you stop him from this reckless course of action?" He concluded with a finality that would shit any other person right up. "The only thing that information could do to them is cause them needless worry, and interfering in things that are not their concern."

In all her time, she never knew Albus to blatantly disrespect anyone in such a way. It seems as time went on his true colors were starting to show. He wanted his way one way or another and Albus Dumbledore would stop at nothing to do what he thought was right.

"Albus…"

He waited no longer he maneuvered his way around Minerva and soundlessly swished open the door.

Oh, this odious man!

* * *

No POV:

Previously:

"I'll do it."

All the adults of the room turned to the little girl shock written on each one of their faces.

"I'll train, go to Hogwarts, and beat Tom Riddle. He killed my parents, and a lot of other people. I want to make things right."

"Well said my girl." The occupants of the room to see and old man in a blue robe and a long silver beard, accompanied by a furious looking elderly woman in a long green robe. "Well said."

"Excuse me, Gandalf," Tony knew exactly who this was and he wasn't having any of it. He stood up and stalked over to the unwelcome intruder. "First off, I don't remember inviting you to the party. Secondly, that was not 'wisely said' at all. Our daughter is six years old and she is no position to go out battling an evil warlord. Thirdly, we are now her parents, therefore meaning you have absolutely no say in the matter!" Through his entire tirade Dumbledore's smile and twinkly eyes didn't fade and that's what irked Tony the most.

"You are correct, on all accounts, Sir. However, I estimate that Severus has already disclosed to you the subject of Voldemort. He will not stop in his pursuit of Georgiana simply because you refuse to do anything about it. It would be much better if she had a standing chance against him." Dumbledore reasoned with calm. "He may not come today, he may not come tomorrow, but one day he will come and for all your money and power you will be powerless against him and his numbers."

The realization hit Tony like a brick. If were it come down to it, he would lay his life down on the life for the people he loved and cared for. He may be arrogant at times but he wasn't heartless. The fact remained, he may have the suit of armour but he couldn't protect Pepper or Georgiana with it against forces that he could still not comprehend. Tony hated the feeling of being powerless, a state in which he couldn't do anything to change the hopeless situation.

Surprisingly it was Minerva McGonagall who spoke. Up until now having been a quiet presence in the room finally making herself known, "Mr. Stark," Tony turned his head to her previously bypassing her presence in alarm of Dumbledore's. "I am in complete agreement with you. I too feel that Miss Potter is too young for such a burden, but,: she hesitated, :I must agree with Albus in the notion that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named will return and his sights will be set on her, and this time he won't stop until he is successful in the endeavor which he designed upon on that horrible Halloween night."

Tony looked to Snape, somehow trusting him more than Dumbledore. "If you were in my shoes and someone you loved and cared about was in this situation what would you do?"

Snape tilted his head up, stood a little straighter, and took a breath, "I think that you should first ask her exactly why she wants to fight," He looked to little Georgie and directed his next statement at her. "Why do you want to fight?"

She braved a look at the imposing man, "I want to fight because Voldie-mort is a bully, and I don't like bullies. Dudley was a bully, and now he's gone away. I'm happy now because he, Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Petunia can't hurt me anymore. If Voldie-mort goes away then he can't hurt anybody anymore."

Snape posed another question, "Who are you fighting for?" He knew his questions were much too advanced and complex for such a little girl but, she seemed to be coping well. The real reason he's asking was because he didn't want her to fight for the wrong reasons. Especially not for Dumbledore's reasons. Snape knew deep in his heart that Minerva and Albus were right, that she eventually would have to fight whether she were ready or not, but he wanted to do everything within in his power to keep her safe, and good-hearted. Dumbledore wouldn't care for the little things like that. As long as his pawns are in place, he would be satisfied.

"I'm fighting for my… Mommy and Daddy, … and my other mommy and my other daddy. And, I'm fighting for everyone Voldie-mort bullied, because it just isn't fair." In her six year old mind this was more than enough reason to take Voldemort down.

Snape was impressed, "Quite honorable reasons, I must say." He then turned back to Tony. "For now she is in no need of intensive training of any sort. But, I would recommend you start her off with some muggle defense and martial arts classes. And also get her started in meditation and yoga. Make a routine of sorts, it will make her magical training easier. However that should not start until she is eleven. Just like any other magical child."

Pepper finally forced her own opinion. "Okay, from where I am seeing the situation, we have virtually no choice in this. Georgiana will have to be trained." Glancing around the room to see that everyone was in somewhat of an agreement or at least in relative acknowledgement. "Alright… but I have a question." She zeroed in on Dumbledore. "And pardon my French but, what the hell are you here for?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled a bit, "I am here because I care for Georgiana and only want what is best for her."

Tony jumped in Pepper's blatant interrogation. "Who are you to decide what's best for her? In case I misread the paperwork we are her parents."

Dumbledore chuckled, "I am her guardian in the magical world."

Georgiana: Is that bad, because it sounds bad.

Snape: Bugger!

Minerva: (I really don't know what to put here without being too offensive.)

Pepper: Oh hell no!

Mount Tony, which has been slowly bubbling for several minutes and was becoming more volatile by the second, finally exploded. "No way in any unGodly dimension, are you to be her guardian of all things," he shouted into Dumbledore's face. "Who in the world gave you that authority. Until I see a will I will never," he made a sharp slashing motion with his hand getting even further into Dumbledore's personal space, "believe that piece of absolute bullshit! If you cared so damn much about her you wouldn't have left her to those-" he has a brief struggle to remain polite in the company of a 6-year-old— "those- people you called her relatives. You wouldn't have left her with people who hated and abused her. HOW DARE YOU SAY YOU CARE FOR, HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF HER GUARDIAN!" Tony abruptly took a step back, and his next words were spoken in a much quieter voice. But anyone who knew him would have said that was when Tony was at his most dangerous— especially given the look in his eyes. "I don't care who you are or what you can do," he informed Dumbledore." I can do much, much more and you better watch it because my wrath does not come in form of practical jokes with a funny little stick. I was known as the 'Merchant of Death'," he said with fire in his eyes. "I will revert to that if that's what it takes to protect Georgiana from the likes of YOU!" He stepped back further and went to Pepper, taking her hand for strength but not hugging her like he desperately wanted to— maybe it was paranoia but he didn't want to give Gandalf any everage.

Flabbergasted was the least anyone in that room was, and Pepper was no exception. Though she'd seen him lose his temper before, and had even seen him threaten his opponents with that particularly chilling voice everyone had just seen, never in her entirety of working with Tony has she ever encountered such unadulterated rage and anger on his part. But, Pepper couldn't help but feel proud of Tony. His big but concealed heart is what she loved, and she was glad it was still there after everything that's happened to him.

Severus, on the other hand, was just a bit taken aback by the outburst, but not completely surprised. It would only be a matter of time before Dumbledore got on his last nerves. If anything Severus was impressed; but then a sudden idea hit him. James and Lily's will was never revealed but no reason was given. That's why Dumbledore can take that title, he realized— because according to his word he can't get to the will, and him being the Chief Warlock, he could easily have appointed himself interim guardian. But, he couldn't bring that up now. Once Dumbledore is forced out of here, Severus would make magical legal changes so that Dumbledore could never have any sort of hold over Georgiana.

Georgiana was on a brain wave of her own. She always was a fairly good judge of character and in her six year old mind it was very easy to determine who actually cared for her, and who had other questionable purposes for being in that room at that time. To her it was plainly obvious that there was only one person in the room that didn't have her best interests at heart was the one with the grandfatherly appeal. And she as much as said so.

"Mr. Dumbledore I really don't think I like you. You're being a bully, being mean to my Mommy and Daddy. I think you have to leave and leave me alone. If I have to come to Hogwarts I will, but I won't help you bully anyone." This statement made Dumbledore's eyes lose his sparkle and eyebrows hit the ceiling. I could care less if any of the people in this room liked me or not, Minerva could practically hear him thinking, but how am I going to save the wizarding world if the sword I use to do it doesn't submit to me willingly. But, perhaps that could be changed…

However, he recovered quickly. "Very well, Miss Georgiana," he conceded, the twinkle returning. "We will comply with your wishes, but believe me when I say that my only design is to help you."

"Thank you, for your design but I don't want it… I can draw my own drawings," siad Georgiana proudly and a bit defiantly. All the adults bar Dumbledore had expressions of mirth on their faces. "But, I only want you to leave," she continued, adding insult to injury and all with the innocent bearing of a child. "I want to talk to Mr. Snape and …" She indicated to Minerva, who realized that she'd never introduced herself.

"Professor Minerva McGonagall." McGonagall supplied.

"Um… that's a big name. Can I call you Minnie?" Georgie asked.

Snape and Minerva blanched. Minerva was left sputtering an answer. "You are more like your father than I thought," she sighed.

Georgiana turned back to Dumbledore, "Please leave."

Dumbledore bowed his head and apparated away.

Georgiana turned to the taken aback professors. "Okay now that Mr. Dubbledort is gone. Can you tell me about my parents?"

Snape took a seat back on the couch and drawled. "Fine, I'll tell you about Lily but Minerva will tell you about your father."

"I will?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh, yes because I would not be able to say anything about him,without saying words not fit for a six year old."

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A/N: Well that's that's the edited version let me know how you liked it and if you have any additional input. Thanks a bunches!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I am so very dearly sorry for the long wait. I was suffering writer's block and I had a very eventful summer and then school started. I am trying to write quality chapters worth your time so please bear with me. I am posting this chapter today, and hopefully will have another posted within the next couple of days. Thanks for reading, I appreciate your comments. Thanks to TheLostPevensie for being my awesome beta!**

 **No POV:**

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"Okay who wants to start?" An excited Georgiana questioned while bouncing up and down between Tony and Pepper.

"I think I will," Minerva settled herself on an armchair. "Well, where to start? Perhaps at the very beginning. James Charlus Potter was born on March 27th, 1960. I only remember the precise date because he would never let one of his birthdays go by without making the entire school privy to the fact." Snape scoffed at this.

"I'm sorry Severus what did you say? Perhaps you have something to add?" Minerva asked rhetorically in her "I am your Professor" voice, but a mischievous look in her eye.

He waved his hand in an indication of no. "No please continue," he drawled.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "As I was saying… Oh, I knew James before he came to Hogwarts because I was a close friend of his mother, Dorea. Dorea and Charlus were much older when they had James, and given he was an only child I must say they… well, they spoiled him rotten," she admitted fondly.

"Hmm, sounds familiar," Pepper mused, playfully glancing at Tony and then looking away. Tony looked like he was about to protest but then conceded to the point.

Minerva continues, with a small smile gracing her lips, "Yes, James was far too used to getting what he wanted. He was a bit cocky, a bit arrogant, mischievous, troublesome…" Snape nodded in agreement with each adjective. "But he had one of the biggest hearts and a generally happy countenance. He had a knack for making people laugh, and cheer them up when they were down." Severus rolled his eyes and disengaged from the story again. Minerva disregarded her colleague and continues with her tale.

"Besides, he cleaned up his act once he realised that Lily would never really like him if he continued being, in her words- what was is Severus? What was Lily's moniker for him?" One could tell that Minerva was having more fun with this than anyone could have thought.

"An arrogant toe-rag," he said, clearly trying to hide that he still found pettily amusing. The occupants of the room chuckled.

"English insults are so weird," Tony commented.

"Well in Lily's defense, she was eleven when she came up with that," Minerva amended. "Getting back to our story, the first time I really saw James after his toddler years was when he came to Hogwarts at the age of eleven. Even before he was sorted he had already his own group of friends that would remain the closest to him through his school years."

Minerva was very careful about what she mentioned of Sirius, Remus, and Peter. She didn't want to bring more disappointment to the little girl. To know that her own godfather was the one to sell her parents out to You-Know-Who. Never in her wildest dreams did Minerva ever suspect Sirius Black of such treachery. Of course his family and the name associated warranted some trepidation in concerns to him, but Sirius never acted in a way that suggested he agreed with his family's pureblood idealisms. Never. So, it was with great care and delicacy that she avoided any mention of Sirius in present terms. But, still something tugged at the back of her mind, that said 'this little girl deserved to know'.

"He became immediate friends with Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black."

Severus' head snapped up from the bowed position he had had it in moments ago. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Minerva mentioned Black to these people. It could create so many problems and questions that he would rather not speculate on. He could hardly say anything right now in present company, though, without alerting them, that something was being omitted from the story. He resolved to ask Minerva about it later.

"Those four boys were inseparable and they wreaked absolute havoc on the school. Starting food fights in the Great Hall, starting pranks wars, jinxing people's clothes, vandalizing parts of the building in pink." Though at the time she vehemently opposed and punished their acts, she was always in awe of their talents.

"I like the sound of these people," Tony had a manic grin on his face. Pepper just gave a disapproving stare, but if one looked hard enough you could see a small amused upturn in her lips.

"Well I didn't like the sound of objects crashing in my Transfiguration class!" Minerva huffed.

"I didn't like the sound of them. Period." Minerva merely chuckled at Snape's dour expression.

"They called themselves the Marauders. It was quite an apt name for them now that I think back on it. They would put off dungbombs, charm everyone's clothes to odd colors, prank the teachers and students on the daily basis. But, the thing that James was absolutely notorious for in the school during the time, was his ridiculous proposals to Lily."

Severus thought he would be alright talking about these old and painful memories but each of the words that Minerva spoke, though neutral and not casting anyone in an overly bad light, it was like reliving all those horrible moments over again. How his blood would boil when Potter could so easily exclaim his affections for Lily, and make a mockery out of himself and Lily in the process. Saying Severus despised James would be putting it lightly. It wasn't for the fact that he was Severus' lifelong bully, but the fact he saved his life. Even though he was beyond the grave. Severus could not put those ill mannered thoughts and feelings behind him. It haunted him everyday that he very well was the reason Potter and his lovely Lily were dead. Lily died and he didn't get to tell her that he still loved and cared for her. The only reason he still lived was to protect what Lily died for. He lived for Georgiana Lily and only for her.

"James constantly asked Lily out, starting in their second year I think," Minerva has continued, "and every single time it was a resounding no. It wasn't until their seventh year when James had matured a little, and stopped constantly asking her out that she said yes. I still remember it to this day."

Georgiana was paying rapt attention to every single word coming out of Minerva's mouth. Aunt Petunia never ever breathed a word about her sister or her husband in the six years she had known her. To hear so much about her parents in such a way was such a gift to Georgie, that she wouldn't care if she never received another present in her life. A simple recount of her parents' life was priceless to a child who was brought up with virtually nothing.

"It was right outside of my classroom. The last bell for the day had just rung out and the majority of the classroom, including Lily, had left the room except for James. It seemed he had left something at his desk and he ran out right after that. He called out to her to ask a question of some sort, and of course knowing him we were expecting a cheeky 'Lily, will you go out with me?' as he'd done at random and frequent intervals many times before," Minerva chuckled. "His question had begun, "Hey, Lily do you kn…" and she was so exasperated that she cut him off and said, 'Yes, James I'll go out with you.'" Laughing in earnest now, but also a bit emotional because after all she was telling the love story of Georgiana's tragically deceased parents, two of her favorite students, she continued, "The poor thing's eyes had bugged out and his bag, books everything dropped to the floor. I thought he went into some sort of serious shock. All he said was, 'I should ask you what the potions homework is more often."" By this point, Minerva was hysterically laughing in a very unMinerva-like manner. Tears of mirth rolling down her face. All the occupants of the room bar one were laughing.

She sobered up after a while though, "They were all such wonderful people. Life was not fair to any of them. Their childhood was ruined by an impending war and they were in the thick of it. James and Lily fought to their last breath." She turned to Severus. "I believe it is your turn to regale us with stories of Lily."

If you looked closely you could see a small upturn of Severus' lips at the mention of his lost love. "Yes, well. I met Lily when we were children of about 9 years old…" The way he spoke captured the attention of everyone in the room, as if they were about to hear some epic tale of old adventure and woe. Georgiana especially leaned forward in anticipation to hear another account of her parents. "We lived near each other and I saw her in the park one day with her sister. Lily was showing her something, she had a flower in her hand and she opened and closed its petals using only her magic. It was quite advanced for someone her age. Of course, this was to be expected as she was later known as the brightest witch of her generation," he added. "Anyway, Petunia was quite horrified by the display and ran off to tell their parents. I approached Lily and, very untactfully," he grimaced, "told her she was in fact a witch. As you can imagine, being a muggleborn she took offence to the statement." He huffed out a small chuckle, which for him was nearly equivalent to laughing out loud.

"When I further elaborated on the fact and told her about our world, she calmed down a bit and immediately her curiosity took over and she questioned me as if it were the Spanish Inquisition. From that day on we became brilliant friends, best friends in fact. Even throughout our younger years in school, we retained our friendship. Regardless that I was in another house, Slytherin, and she resided in Gryffindor. But then… I royally messed everything up in our 5th year and we never really returned to the relationship we once had. Especially after she befriended Potter and his pathetic cronies." Severus was building steam but unintentionally looked up, and seeing Georgiana's face his next words took a recourse. "I made some very horrible mistakes in my past, but since then I have been trying to rectify them. The one mistake I know I can never atone for is how I treated Lily. I live with that guilt every day." He turned his intense gaze to Georgiana. "I am sorry for your loss, but if you ever want to know anything about Lily, do not hesitate to ask me. I cared for Lily, I still do and I see so much of her in you. It is unfair that I got to spend so much time with her, and you so little.. Remember, they loved you more than anything in the world, and you are not alone; there are still many people who love you. We will all protect you with our entire being."

Minerva was a little shocked by the show of vulnerability and deeply sympathised with Severus' statement. Her eyes started to tear up in the thick of emotions. Pepper was just overtaken by the tragedy of the stiff Professor's lost relationship, and the evident care her had for Georgiana. Tony didn't really know what to make of the display except that what Snape said had a deeper resonation from within him. Georgiana got off from her place on the sofa between her parents, who had her in their embrace during the recounts. She walked up to Severus in his arm chair and stretched to place her arms around his neck. "Thank you, and I'm pretty sure she cares about you too." After an alarming moment of shock Severus slowly snaked his arms around her. She left Snape's embrace and did the same to Minerva.

"They fought for you Miss Potter-Stark. To give you a better life, free of the fear, terror, and prejudice that they had to endure. Just be happy, forget about Dumbledore and do what you know is right. You have a good heart, you'll know what that is." Georgiana nodded in response. The tender moment didn't last long. Tony made sure of that.

"Okay! Enough of the heavy. I cannot handle anymore of this mushy-gushy stuff," he announced. "But, I do have a solution to our 'savior of the wizarding world' problem."

"Well, what are you waiting for, please enlighten us." Severus drawled. _This man is too similar to Sirius Black._

"I was getting there, patience is a virtue" Tony snarked back. _Ugh,_ thought Severus, _there really are two of them_. "If Voldy-whatsit is really coming after our precious Georgie we have to be ready," he admitted, "as much as I don't like it. We won't do any drastic training now but we start you off with karate, tae-kwan-do, kiddie boxing, etc. I'll tutor you in school stuff, so you don't have to go anywhere.."

Pepper arched an eyebrow, at Tony's redundant proposal, Severus suggesting something similar not too long ago. She chose not to comment this, deciding to ask him about it later. "Tony, be realistic. She has to go to school, if you taught her Lord knows what the product of that would be. And quite frankly you don't have the patience to homeschool." Pepper cut in reasonably.

Severus also noted the use of his own suggestion, but said nothing of it.

Tony amended to Pepper's inquiry,"Fine, we'll put her in a 3hr day school, moving on. We'll start her magical defense training with one of you when she is at an age she can learn magic. Wait, I actually have a question, is Hogwarts really the only magic school in the world?" he asked Minerva and Severus.

After a moment of silence, Minerva hesitantly answered,"No, there are one or two in America, but they don't hold a candle to Hogwarts or its teachers. There's Durmstrang but they are centered around the dark arts and then there's Beauxbatons in France, it's probably the closest in curriculum and standard to Hogwarts."

"Oh, good so we can consider a few school before we decide to settle on Hogwarts." Pepper inputted.

"Yes, it's a possibility but I implore you to think carefully and consider all the ramifications before you make such a decision," Minerva warned them.

"Yeah, yeah we will. We want the best for Georgie and nothing else. Moving on to our Dubbledort problem, we keep this guy at arm's length, we may just need him at some point. But for right now we don't have to do anything." Tony concluded putting the situation at peace for the moment.

"I think for now we should just concentrate on making all our efforts towards giving Giana a better life." Pepper concluded.

"Agreed," Severus spoke.

Georgiana did not appreciate being discussed while not being in the conversation herself, "Can you all stop talking about me, please." The room apologized to the small child. "Great, I'm kind of talking so much about the scary stuff." She said innocently. "Can we just have some ice cream now?" She broke out into an excited grin and started to hop around.

 **A/N: Okay next chapter is gonna be much better. It's gonna have Stark family fluff, and start in on Georgie's new life. Reviews, would be appreciated please.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay, I am thoroughly excited to post this chapter because the sheer cuteness. I am so sorry for the long hiatus. I've had a lot of health and familial issues recently. I am especially sorry to all those who faithfully followed this story, this chapter is for you guys! Hope you like. Thanks to all of you reading, I am trying to post more often without the huge gap between posts.**

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That night..

Tony and Pepper laid awake in bed. Georgiana snuggled up in between them. They had all been watching tv together as they tried to get Georgie to sleep. They gave up trying to get her to sleep in her room because she simply wouldn't close her eyes without Tony or Pepper with her. This was the next best option.

Confident that Georgiana was asleep, Pepper spoke,"So, are we going to talk about all the crazy shit that went down today, or what?"

Tony continued to stare up at the ceiling, and gave a simple reply of, "Okay."

Pepper jumped right into her onslaught of questions, "Okay what the hell was up with that amazing plan that you were going to come up with, that amounted to nothing more than what Severus said earlier? Huh? That was a cop-out if I ever heard one. And trust me, I have heard a lot of those… mostly from you, so I _know_ that you could have done much better!"

Somewhat, breaking out of his thought driven stupor, Tony replied, "I don't know, Pep. I wanted so badly for Minerva and Snape to trust me… To show them that they haven't sacrificed so much to have Georgie end up in incapable hands. I mean, I know I'm not winning any parent of the year awards, and I have no idea how to raise a magical child let alone a non-magical one… but I can't help but feel the best place for Georgiana is with me… with us." Tony let out a sigh, propping himself a bit to see Pepper better. The only light coming from the tv few feet away from them. "Pepper I have a plan… and it isn't to train Georgie to be some type of warrior."

Pepper looked at Tony intently, "Alright," she slowly breathed out. "What is our master plan, Mr. Stark?"

"We raise Georgiana Lily Potter-Stark to be exactly that," Tony enthused silently. "We raise her to be part of both worlds so that not only does she have an edge when she's older, but so she has an edge as a person. My dad raised me up to take up the family business. I want to raise Georgie up to be the amazing person she has the potential to be. I don't want this savior thing determine what she has to become… I don't want it to get in the way of living her best life," Tony emotionally concluded.

In all her years with Tony, she never heard him so passionate about anything. Not about his suits, not about the business, not about anything… That's how Pepper found herself putting her soul, body, and mind into Tony's faithful hands, and now― her daughter's.

"I believe," she breathed out with a smile, "we have a pretty solid plan."

2 weeks later...

The days following the excitement and tension of the day half the staff of Hogwarts' visit, were the most pleasant days ever spent for the Stark family. They left England on good terms with Professors Snape and McGonagall, promising to keep in touch and notify each other of anything or significance occurred. They delayed themselves no further, practically racing the private jet all the way to Malibu, putting as much distance between themselves and the weirdness they encountered in London.

Tony and Pepper talked at length about the supernatural occurrence and how it resonated with their daughter's life. It was a surprise to be sure, but then again they remembered Tony was the famed Iron Man and that's when all logical sense went out the window. While at the moment they couldn't do much about the magical side of their problems, they endeavoured to make Georgiana's childhood more normal and enjoyable for her. They spent days going shopping, decorating her room, taking her to amusement parks (or buying them), and overall showering her with the love she deserved.

However, the unlimited fun wasn't to last, as Pepper's extended leave was over and her CEO duties had her taking a business trip to New York for the weekend. It was already discussed between Pepper and Tony that Tony would be the 'work-from-home-househusband' while Pepper would be the working parent. Tony took to his new role quite well. None would ever expect the womanizing Tony Stark to be a parent, let alone a good one. This would be the first time he would have his daughter all to himself for the weekend and he was thoroughly excited.

"Okay, I am only going for two days. That means no burning down the house, making hugely extravagant purchases, no building a little Iron Girl suit… Tony..Tony! Are you listening?" Pepper stood in the doorway of the Malibu mansion with Georgiana in her arms and a scowl on her face as she realized her significant other was in his own little dream world.

"Yup, sorry Pep. But, yes I know the drill we won't do anything too dangerous."

"Yeah, like I believe that. The pediatrician's number is on the fridge or you can just ask J.A.R.V.I.S. All medicine that could be needed, worse case scenerio, is in the cabinet in Giana's bathroom. Tony she shouldn't be awake past 10, don't forget any meals in your excitement. Oh and no ice cream or cake as a meal. And no pizza is not appropriate for all meals."

Georgiana turned in Pepper's arms to face her mother, she took Pepper's face in her small hands. "Momma we are going to be fine, stop worrying. I'll make sure Daddy behaves."

"See Pep, you're worrying for absolutely ZERO reason," Tony reassured Pepper. He walked over to where she was standing, with their little princess in her arms, and enveloped them in his own arms. "We'll video chat tonight once you get to the hotel, now get going before the private jet leaves."

"Isn't the purpose of a private jet that it leaves when _I_ leave?" Pepper teased in a quite accurate imitation of a long-forgotten-Tony. She found herself falling more for Tony every day (not that she thought that to be possible until now). The Tony Stark before now was a complete contrast to the Tony she only held a fleeting infatuation for. She loved the man way more now that he didn't wear his indifference on his sleeves and kept his heart as a guarded fortress. The man before her was a loving, caring, and devoted father. It was if everything he did led him up to this, led him to Georgiana.

"Haha, funny," Tony said in faux laughter, which then promptly turned into an eyeroll and un-amused smirk.

"Okay," Pepper took Georgie from her hands and places her Tony's waiting arms, simultaneously extracting herself from the impromptu group hug, "I've really got to go now. See you in a few days." Pepper pecked a kiss on Georgiana's cheek and chaste kiss to Tony's lips.

Georgiana covered her eyes and scrunched up her face, "EWWW, gross. Bye-bye, Mommy!" Pepper laughed at her daughter's antics and made her out the door and to the car.

"Well," Tony said turning to Georgie, "what are we going to do now?" Georgie shrugged her shoulders in response. Being a child who always knew what he wanted Tony was a little at loss at what to do to keep busy.

"Oh my God…" Tony started with a particular expression on his face, "I am a genius!" He said to Georgie.

With a curious expression on her face she responded, "Why?"

"You know what… " Tony took the little confused girl in his arms and ran her to her room and plopped her on her bed. "I got to make a few phone calls, you stay here play with your toys, whatever. I am going to be right back and we are going to have a yacht-load of fun. Okay? Okay!"

Not quite knowing what to do with herself, she turned to the last sensible entity in the house, "J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Yes, Miss Georgiana?" Replied the trusty intelligent system.

"What's the number for an emergency or fire people?" Georgie asked in the most innocent way possible.

Being able to see Tony making phone calls in the house J.A.R.V.I.S said, "I don't think it will be necessary but 9-1-1," but knowing what happens when Tony actually _calls_ people added, "it's speed dial #2 on the keypad in every room."

"Thanks," and with that Georgie busied herself playing with her coloring book and dolls.

* * *

 _Damn it Tony!_ Rhodey thought as he accelerated his car on the open road towards Stark Mansion. Ten minutes ago Tony had called Rhodey, claiming a serious emergency. The two had not conversed at all since Tony and Pepper had got back from London, and that was a little over a month ago. Rhodey had tried on several occasions to get in contact with Tony, just to make sure he was alive. _Well, he must be alive the tabloids haven't announced him dead yet._ Many people distrusted tabloids, but Rhodey found that regarding Tony, the tabloids were hardly ever wrong. How could they be they didn't need to make up anything because Tony normally handed out outlandish material, that never needed additional embellishment.

As Rhodey pulled up the driveway, he was surprised to see his usually arrogant, cocky, high and mighty friend running around the lawn with big buckets of water, disappearing around the back of the house.

 _What the actual hell is this idiot up to,_ Rhodey thought as he got out of his car and jogged towards the direction he just saw Tony going. The sight he arrived upon was not one he expected in a million years. The 'Great Iron Man' was on his ass, in the grass, most of his clothes wet, and attempting to make water balloons with a garden hose that was tied in multiple knots. Behind him were a plethora of water guns, a small kiddie pool, character inspired sprinklers, and multiple other children's' water toys. Just at that glorious moment, Tony looked up to see Rhodey.

"Oh, good, Rhodey!" Tony puffed out in a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Do you know how to make water balloons?" He swung around the end of the garden hose that was dripping with little droplets of water.

"Um, Tony was the hell are you doing?!" Rhodey asked absolutely baffled. "You haven't picked up _any_ of calls for the past _month_! A _month_! Tony, a MONTH!

Tony reached hand up to the back of his head, awkwardly patting the wet hair down, "Yeah, about that…."

Sensing that Tony wasn't going to get on with is answer, Rhodey continued his tirade, "Not to mention when you finally do pick up the phone you claim a huge emergency, and here I find you playing with child bath toys!"

"Hey," Tony shouted in mock indignation, "I'll have you know that these are not _bath toys,_ they are outdoor adventure equipment. And some of these are mine from when I was a kid," he quietly admitted.

It started to become apparent to Rhodey that this wasn't another one of Tony's random mischievous behavioral outburst. There was something that he saw was up with Tony, and it wasn't something small. What was strange was usually when something happened in Tony's life that he wasn't ready to handle, Rhodey would usually find him in a drunken stupor. That was why this situation was starting to scare the shit out of Rhodey.

"Okay, Tony," Rhodey took the garden hose from his hands and started to unknot it, "what's really going on?" He looked imploringly at the soaking wet man still sitting on the ground.

Tony nodded his head, "I'll tell you anything you want to know just help me out with this and I promise after Georgie goes to sleep I'll explain everything."

Alarms starting going off in Rhodey's head, _Georgie?! What about Pepper! Is that why Peper isn't here? Pepper was the best thing to ever happen to Tony, probably the reason he's still alive after everything he went through! And why after she goes to sleep? He's treating her like a child… A CHILD! Oh great he has supremely effed up this time-_

"Rhodey I know what you're thinking," Tony held his hands up as if that would keep Rhodey in place, "No, Pepper and I are still together, she's just on a business trip. But I still would like you to meet someone…"

Rhodey only nodded in response, hoping against all hope that Tony hadn't done some real damage. Tony took the hose from his hands and led him to the house. Going through the house everything seemed normal, that was until they passed the kitchen and Rhodey spotted kid drawn pictures being held by magnets in the fridge. _Magnets! In Tony Stark's house!_ The walk through the house seemed endless until finally they reached a door with a calligraphic 'G' on it. Tony rapped his knuckles on the door, while simultaneously turning handle, they walked into a little girl's room. Truly there was no other way to describe it, the walls were a light blue with all sorts of Disney characters on them. There was a doll house and a huge dresser with a desk and easel not too far away. Strewn all over the floor were crayon drawings. And in the midst of all the large room, on the floor, looking straight up at him with vivid brown eyes, sat a little girl just previously completing a puzzle. _No. Freaking. Way._

Probably noticing his friend's paralyzing shock, Tony decided to draw both Georgie and Rhodey's attention away from awkwardly staring at each other, "Hey, Georgie, this is my friend Rhodey, Rhodey this is my-" Tony paused a little, "This is my daughter, Georgiana. But we tend to call her Georgie." Noticing his staring was getting a bit ridiculous Rhodey shook himself and tried to brush off his shock so he didn't creep the kid out. The fact that Tony claimed the child as his, was skating over his mind to be reflected back on later, so he didn't completely lose his mind in front of the kid. _Georgiana._ His mind corrected him.

Rhodey crouched down low to the ground, and put on a warm smile, "Hi, Georgiana." With a timid smile of her own, she replied, "Hello, Mr. Rhodey." _Okay, so she's British. Interesting… Well this still answers zero questions,_ he sarcastically thought.

"Okay!," Tony loudly interjected, "So, now that we all know each other, it's time…" He smirked mischievously

"Time?" Rhodey and Georgie asked simultaneously. Rhodey with apprehension and Georgie with unadulterated, innocence and naivety.

"It is time," Tony announced, enunciating every word, "for the most fun anyone in the world has ever had! Follow me!" The over exuberant mechanic strutted out of the room. The two remaining in the room comically turned to each other with wide eyes, and promptly both followed out in pursuit of Tony, at a very brisk pace.

When they finally outside, they found themselves staring at several different tiny colorful forts set up in a huge circle across the vast property, and in the center if the circle was an extravagant displays of what looked like waters guns, balloons, and several other water based toys. While the they marveled at what was in front of them, a jet of water hit the back of Rhodey's head.

"What the hell?!" Rhodey reached his hand to the back of his head, and feeling it completely wet he turned around to see Tony full on laughing, with a tricked out water gun in his hands.

"Hey," Tony barked. Then his face twisted into a sly smirk, "Language." That was the moment Rhodey's mind became set in stone, _Tony Stark is going to get it._ Picking up one of the water guns he took aim at Tony… and showed absolutely no mercy. The two launched into a full scale water fight, playing dirtier and dirtier by the second. Georgiana stood off a bit to the side, out of the two water delirious adults laughing when Tony got hit in the face or when Tony made Rhodey slip in the now muddy grass. It was a moment after Tony got hit by a water balloon to the shoulder that his attention turned to Georgie.

"I hope you didn't actually think you would get off this easy," he took the garden hose and set it on shower and sprayed her. Thoroughly soaking her hair, and shirt, she was totally drenched and looking up at Tony in pure shock. Seeing the little, proper girl was a bit funny, was quite comical to Rhodey. Taking pity on the small child he handed her one of the two water guns he was caring.

Georgiana looked it over and held it in her hands, her finger tracing the trigger. With a new light in her eyes, she took aim at Tony with inhuman speed and ceremoniously doused the legendary Iron Man, in an unrelenting stream of water.

"OH MY GOD," Tony did a weird traipsing dance in attempt of getting out of the line of fire, or water. Rhodey came to stand next to her, "Nice job, kid."

"Thanks," The little child responded, but she wasn't done with her misfit ways yet. She turned her newly acquired weapon on Rhodey, soaking the previously semi-dry colonel.

"HAHAHA," Tony started pointing and laughing at Rhodey holding his sides, but at this point the water fight had reached a trifecta of mischief and would not relent until the sun started to set.

A few hours later…

"Hey, Tony," Rhodey put his hands up in a surrender position walking into 'no-man's-land', "I think it's time we head in, it's getting dark."

Ordinarily Tony would put up a hissy fit, not wanting the fun to stop, but one look at Georgiana and her glowing yet tired face, silently coerced him into agreement.

"Alright, party's over, everyone in the house for an elegant dinner, of pizza and burgers," Tony flopped his arms around dropping his water gun on the grass, walking around like he was Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast about to entertain guest for the first time in forever. Rhodey chuckled at Tony's antics and started walking towards his friend back to the house. Shaking her head at her father, accustomed to his theatrics, Georgiana took up Tony's offered hand and together they all went up back to the house.

Rhodey saw the unbreachable smile on Tony's face as he swung the kids hand with his, and just thought, _Well I'll be damned, Tony Stark smiling and not a catastrophe in sight._

* * *

 **Few hrs later…**

"Okay, a debriefing would be much appreciated," Rhodey commented while sipping on the whiskey Tony just handed him. They both took seats in the living room now scattered with kiddie toys- and some odd mechanical parts. It was a range assortment; Tony's bachelor pad-esque furniture and decor clashing with material additions of Georgiana's presence in the house.

Tony had just put Georgie down to sleep and now the dreaded explanation conversation was upon him. He didn't mind telling Rhodey but the formality was getting a bit old.

"Well, I'm just gonna give you the short version," Tony said sitting on the sofa with his hands on his knees. Rhodey was a bit surprised at the seriousness Tony put on, and the lack of alcoholic beverage in his hand. He cast his thoughts and observations aside, instead concentrating on his friend and his uncharacteristic behavior. "Basically, I took a wrong turn in England, found Georgiana with an abusive family, adopted her, and brought her home. The end."

Tony studied Rhodey's face for a reaction but all her got was the impassive look of a combat-trained-high security vault-military official. After a few seconds of prolonged silence Rhodey just leaned back and said, "Okay."

"Okay?" Tony questioned, surprised by the lack of integration.

"Okay." Rhodey simply replied.

Still, a little stunned, Tony relaxed a little, and conceded to just leave good enough alone, "Okay."

* * *

 **A/N: Okay I know this is really late but it took so long to go through the edit and when I finally got to writing new chapters I never found time. To all those you who are still reading, I thank you so much for your patience exciting stuff to come can't wait till Georgie goes off to school and you all get to see what I have in mind for pairings and etc. I love hearing from you all too, so let me know what you think. Thanks a bunches for reading!**


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